Labor denies a former minister now heading a research institute with ties to Beijing is directing senators to ask questions in Senate committees.
Former foreign affairs minister Bob Carr reportedly funnelled questions to Labor senator Kristina Keneally regarding an adviser to a clandestine report on China.
"Senator Keneally asked the questions, she wrote the questions," Labor frontbencher Brendan O'Connor told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.
"They were absolutely relevant to Senate estimates."
Fairfax and ABC reports claim Mr Carr sought employment details of John Garnaut, tasked in 2016 to inquire with ASIO into Chinese influence in Australia.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Mr Carr is the director of the Australia-China Relations Institute, billed as the first Australian think tank devoted to exclusively studying the relationship.
While Mr Carr denied the reports, he released a statement describing Mr Garnaut as leading "recent anti-China panic in the Australian media".
"Fuelling a campaign against a friendly foreign country is incompatible with an advisory and speech writing role on the Prime Minister's staff."
Reports claim Mr Carr suggested Senator Keneally ask the questions. But it was Labor senator Kimberley Kitching who asked them in Senate estimates last week.
Widespread reports of a diplomatic chill in the relations have seen both Chinese media and officials criticise Australian policy.
Beijing is reportedly rankled by proposed foreign interference legislation, which politicians are examining in two parliamentary committees.
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek refused to speculate on reports regarding Mr Carr but Labor was prepared to work with the government on the changes.
"Our concern is that the government has seemingly mishandled some of the drafting of these laws," Mr Plibersek told reporters.
"That criticism isn't just a Labor criticism, it looks like there is widespread criticism about the unworkability of some of the laws we are talking about."
