A professor accused of sending racist and sexually abusive emails has been suspended by the University of Sydney.

University of Sydney Professor Barry Spurr, consultant to the Federal Government's national English curriculum review, referred to Prime Minister Tony Abbott as an "Abo-lover" and Nelson Mandela as a "darky".

He also described Aboriginal people as "human rubbish tips" and reminisced about the 1950s, when there were not so many "bogans", "fatsoes", "Mussies" and "Chinky-poos" around.

"Professor Spurr is suspended, effective immediately, from teaching and engaging in any other university business and is precluded from attending any university campus while the matter is investigated and dealt with," the University of Sydney said in a statement.

"Racist, sexist or offensive language is not tolerated at the University of Sydney."

In his review, Professor Spurr advised the Government to focus less on teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander literature and place greater emphasis on western Judeo-Christian culture.

Professor Spurr, a specialist in poetry and poetics who has been at the university for 38 years, defended the emails, telling news website New Matilda they were mainly to one recipient and were part of a "whimsical" game to outdo one another in extreme statements.

He said they were in no way a reflection of his views.

Federal Opposition leader Bill Shorten said Professor Spurr's remarks were disgusting.

"It's got to be a matter for Sydney University, but someone who's a professor, should be above making the sort of remarks that we've seen attributed to them," he said.

"These are not the remarks of an educated person."

Mr Shorten said there should have been a stronger reaction from the Government.

"I noticed the Education Minister basically disowned this person's conduct ... but the question is, how much of the conduct has influenced the review of the curriculum?"

Asked this morning about the emails prior to the suspension, Mr Abbott said he had not had a chance to read the media reports.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne released a statement saying the emails were a matter for Professor Spurr.

However, he said he utterly rejected the denigration of any minority, calling it "repugnant".

He said the decision to appoint Professor Spurr as a special consultant for the review of the national English curriculum was not made by the Government.

The Government appointed Professor Ken Wiltshire and Dr Kevin Donnelly to helm its review of the national curriculum in January.

Professor Spurr was one of the specialist advisers brought onboard to advise the review.

Opposition spokeswoman on multiculturalism Michelle Rowland said it was not enough for Mr Pyne to distance himself from the comments.

"The buck must surely stop with someone, and it must stop with the minister," she said.