The Galaxy poll, commissioned by the Medical Association for the Prevention of War (MAPW), found 52 percent of Australians rated him the worst, just 32 percent disagreed while the rest were undecided.

"Australians are not anti-American, they're anti the policies of George Bush, particularly the invasion of Iraq," said MAPW spokesman Robert Marr.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard, a strong supporter of Bush and his Iraq policies, "was wrong" to suggest that opposing the president was to oppose the country's traditional alliance with America, he said.

"It is not that. Australians are sensible enough to know the difference between a dud president and good Americans," Marr told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The firebrand American president was due to arrive in Sydney later Tuesday after a surprise visit to Iraq.

A series of protests against his visit has been planned by the Stop Bush Coalition in Sydney, which is under tight security ahead of an Asia-Pacific summit at the weekend.