The federal coalition wants voters to check the background of Labor candidates in NSW to see if they have links with alleged corrupt politicians.
Labor reckons the coalition is resorting to a "desperate smear".
Several Independent Commission Against Corruption reports into former members of the previous NSW government, including Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid, are due to be released this week.
Campaigning in the Sydney seat of Kingsford Smith on Monday, shadow treasurer Joe Hockey said Labor's candidate in the seat, Matt Thistlethwaite, was "up to his armpits in Eddie Obeid".
Senator Thistlethwaite was NSW Labor secretary from 2008 to 2010 before he entered federal parliament.
"The fact is that when you look carefully at your Labor candidates, look carefully for their deep association with Eddie Obeid and people that are part of the rotten family of Labor," Mr Hockey said.
"Mr Thistlethwaite is in fact one of those people, having spent an enormous amount of time working with Eddie Obeid in NSW."
Senator Thistlethwaite accused Mr Hockey of playing petty political games.
"Mr Hockey's comments today are a desperate smear attempt on behalf of his Liberal candidate," he told AAP.
"I will ignore these petty politics and focus on the positives, like faster broadband for our area and more resources for local schools."
Mr Hockey derided Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's plan to clean up the Labor party through democratic reforms.
"You can put lipstick on a crocodile but it's still the same old Labor," he said.
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