A row has erupted over the choice of former senator Graham Richardson to deliver a key address at next weekend's NSW Labor conference, with a senior member of the party's left faction slamming it as "unbelievable".

Meredith Burgmann, a former president of the NSW Legislative Council, told Fairfax Media she and others were appalled at the decision to pick Mr Richardson to deliver the prestigious life members' address.

"I think the decision to ask Graham Richardson to speak on behalf of the Life Members is unbelievable," said Ms Burgmann, who is also being given life membership at the conference on Sunday.

"Richardson has been involved in eight major scandals in his career from Balmain Welding to Swiss bank accounts. Many of us Life Members joined the Party in the '70s to root out the sort of behaviour that he exemplifies."