A federal Labor MP has voiced concerns about mission creep as Prime Minister Tony Abbott prepares to make a formal announcement about an additional troop deployment to Iraq.
The MP raised the issue at the Labor caucus meeting in Canberra on Tuesday.
Leader Bill Shorten told his colleagues Labor was still opposed to having combat troops on the frontline.
Soldiers had told him on his recent visit to Baghdad that such action would be counter-productive.
Mr Abbott is holding a press conference at Parliament House at 12.45pm (AEDT) when he confirms Australia is sending up to 300 more troops to Iraq as part of a joint training mission with New Zealand.
Mr Shorten told colleagues he would be receiving a briefing ahead of question time at 2pm.
The caucus was also told that Labor's position on proposed data retention laws had yet to be determined because it had yet to see government amendments.
Three MPs urged the party to start talking about the legislation more publicly.
Mr Shorten celebrated the government's decision to back down on the GP co-payment.
"The GP tax has had more obituaries than anyone can imagine," he said, adding the policy change was more about a prime minister trying to "save his own skin".
Fresh from attending an international women's day breakfast in Parliament House, Mr Shorten said Labor had to redouble its efforts to select more female candidates.
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen warned the intergenerational report, due to be released on Thursday, would be used as an alibi to cover Joe Hockey's unfair budget.
