Peter Dutton's decision to personally intervened to save a French au pair from deportation at the request of AFL boss Gil McLachlan is "unusual" and needs explanation, Labor says.
The Home Affairs minister is facing questions about this incident and two others, which are already the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.
As immigration minister in November 2015, Mr Dutton intervened to free the 27-year-old from immigration detention after his office was lobbied by the AFL boss.
The minister used his discretionary powers to grant her a tourist visa.
The au pair was planning to work for Adelaide-based farmer Callum MacLachlan, who is Gil McLachlan's second cousin.
Callum MacLachlan's father, Hugh MachLachlan, has donated roughly $150,000 to state and federal branches of the Liberal Party since 1999.
Now, Labor wants to know if the donations had any influence on his decision to help the young woman into the country.
Mr Dutton has flatly denied any wrongdoing and says donations had no influence on his decision, as his office attempted to draw Labor into the issue.
"The minister has intervened in many cases presented by Labor members of parliament and you would have to ask them if they are presenting those cases based on donations to the Labor Party," a spokeswoman told the ABC.
Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek said Mr Dutton and senior bureaucrats must be grilled about the au pair controversy.
Ms Plibersek said the fact Mr Dutton was so quick to act based on a phone call in the MacLachlan case raised questions.
"It is not unusual for people to make representations to the minister," she told reporters in Melbourne on Wednesday.
"[But] it may be very unusual for the minister to respond in the way he has."
Mr Dutton, who last week failed in his bid to become prime minister, is also facing continued questions about his personal financial interest in publicly-funded child care centres.
The solicitor-general has found there is "some risk" the High Court could find he has a conflict of interest over federal payments to the centres.
"It looks like he's got a good business in child care and he seems to have a sideline in au pairs as well," Ms Plibersek said.
Also in 2015, Mr Dutton overruled decisions to deny entry to two other female au pairs.
Mr Dutton said immigration ministers received hundreds of representations about migration matters each year.
"I consider cases on their merits," he said.
"Any suggestions cases are determined on any other basis, including whether I knew the individual who referred the matter, is completely ridiculous."
The AFL has been contacted for comment.
