New Zealand's decision to stretch out its military training mission in Iraq wasn't requested by Australia, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.
Since 2015, New Zealand has deployed about 140 personnel alongside Australian troops to train Iraqi forces at camp Taji, north of Baghdad.
The New Zealand government on Monday announced it would be stretching out its part in the joint effort from November to June next year, but with about 20 fewer personnel.
Asked if Australia had pushed for an extension, Ms Ardern on Tuesday said there had been no such request.
"No. I did convey our decision to Prime Minister (Scott) Morrison and as I well should ... but this was an independent decision," she told reporters in Wellington.
"These are issues that come up in the course of bilaterals ... but ultimately our deployment was always our decision."
But the New Zealand government will early next year again review the deployment, with both a withdrawal and another extension - possibly in alternative forms - still on the table.
Originally a two-year mission from 2015, the Iraq training operation was extended to the end of November by New Zealand's previous government, prompting criticism from Labour - then in opposition - that the effort was redundant.
Ms Ardern this week denied the new extension was "mission creep", saying it was the fulfilment of an existing obligation and former Labour leader Andrew Little, now a government minister, said the situation on the ground had changed significantly since.
Kiwi and Australian soldiers have together trained more than 30,000 Iraqi troops to fight Islamic State at the camp since their mission began.
Iraq's prime minister declared victory over the militant group late last year and Australia's defence department has this year been reviewing its own part in the training mission.
