Government MP Stuart Robert has rejected Labor's allegation of "cash for comment" over donations from a property developer he had previously defended in Parliament.

Key points: Stuart Robert accused of delivering speech partly written by a lobbyist for Sunland

Stuart Robert accused of delivering speech partly written by a lobbyist for Sunland He says the accusations are "incorrect and scurrilous"

He says the accusations are "incorrect and scurrilous" Bill Shorten has called on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to act on the issue

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has accused Mr Robert of conduct that "stinks", after Fairfax reported the Liberal MP delivered a speech partly written by a lobbyist for the developer Sunland.

The Gold Coast MP gave the speech to Parliament in 2012, and Fairfax alleges almost half of the content came from a briefing note written by the company's lead lobbyist Simone Holzapfel.

Disclosure records show the a Sunland executive donated $12,500 to the Queensland LNP the following year.

The speech related to the dispute between Sunland and property executive Marcus Lee, who was jailed in Dubai. Mr Lee was later acquitted.

Two days after the story emerged Mr Robert has now released a statement defending his actions.

"Recent reports suggesting I supported local Gold Coast company Sunland in return for donations are incorrect and scurrilous," the statement said.

"Four years ago I stood up as a local member and gave a short speech in Parliament because I felt Sunland were receiving one-sided criticism in the media.

"Following two earlier speeches delivered by a senator colleague that I also felt were one sided, I believed that if one side of the issue could be aired in Parliament, the other side could be as well. That is only fair."

Sunland has previously donated to both major political parties.

A spokesman from company said the group denies "any assertions that it has gained any benefit" through those payments.

Speech was 'my own': Robert

In the statement Mr Robert defended the content of the speech, addressing the assertion it was not his work.

"I was informed by various sources. Due to the complexities of the issues involved it was important to be precise with language, I delivered my own speech," it said.

He also said it was "offensive" to suggest the speech and the donation were linked.

"Disclosure returns indicate an executive from Sunland, like many other people concerned about the future of our nation, made a donation to the Queensland Liberal National Party in the lead up to the 2013 federal election, eight months later.

"This information has been on the public record for years, as have Sunland's extensive donations to the Qld Labor Party.

"To draw a link between an issue I supported as a local MP and an unrelated and fully disclosed donation over eight months later is an outrageous and offensive assertion."

Shorten says conduct 'stinks'

Mr Shorten has questioned why Mr Turnbull has not emerged to defend Mr Robert, and pointed to the Prime Minister's strong condemnation of Labor Senator Sam Dastyari over his links to a political donor.

The Prime Minister says Mr Robert has "set out the circumstances in which he made the speech".

"This is 2012, I think you will understand that speech has been on the public record, the donations that were made by a property developer have also been on the public record and disclosed," he said.

But the Opposition Leader called for Mr Turnbull to explain explicitly whether he continues to support Mr Robert.

"Mr Turnbull was quick to give advice on the Labor Party," Mr Shorten said.

"I just wonder if he will apply the same standards to his own people that he is quick to apply to everyone else.

"Australians will say what is it about dodgy political fundraising and this cash for comment impression."

"What will Mr Turnbull do? He is the PM. The buck stops with Mr Turnbull."

Mr Robert resigned from the Turnbull frontbench in February, after he was found to have breached ministerial rules during a trip to China.

An internal investigation revealed he had shares in a trust linked to the mining company of a generous Liberal donor.

Mr Roberts had travelled to China to attend the signing of a deal by that company but maintained that the trip was personal and he was unaware of the shares at the time.