Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has ridiculed reports that Australia is not making progress in the war in southern Afghanistan.
Weakening security was making southern Afghanistan more dangerous for Australian troops stationed there, and the battlefield successes against the Taliban were not winning the support of local people, Fairfax reported today.
The paper cited unnamed "international security consultants" as its sources.
"It just does not seem accurate," Mr Fitzgibbon told the Nine Network.
He reiterated his concern that progress in the war-torn Central Asian nation was too slow.
"I don't know who commissioned (the report), who funded it, and these are always important questions.
"Any suggestion that we're not making good progress in Oruzgan (province) is completely wide of the mark.
"These people couldn't possibly have access to the information I do have about our work there, how we are spreading our influence and dominance throughout the province."
Australia has about 1,050 troops in Afghanistan, including special forces diggers from the Special Air Service (SAS).
Mr Fitzgibbon also rejected the findings of a leaked NATO poll which found those living in Oruzgan were losing faith in the Western forces.
"We're building hospitals and schools and bridges, doing good things and winning the hearts and minds of the local people."