Labor has accused National Broadband Network boss Ziggy Switkowski of breaching election rules by penning an opinion piece in which he defended the company's decision to call in the police over media leaks.

Opposition frontbencher Tony Burke is calling on the nation's top public servant, Martin Parkinson, to investigate what he says is a clear breach of the caretaker conventions that govern public servants.

NBN boss Ziggy Switkowski was advised specifically against submitting his incendiary opinion piece. Credit:Luis Ascui

Federal police last week raided the Melbourne office of former communications minister Stephen Conroy and the home of a Labor staffer as part of an investigation into the alleged leaking of confidential NBN documents.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten accused the government - through the NBN - of silencing whistleblowers and limiting the public's right to know about the progress of one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Australian history.