Labor MPs who used thousands of dollars in public funds to subscribe to a fledgling magazine produced by a Labor think tank also sit on the think tank's board of advisors.

The handful of federal politicians were reprimanded by their leader Bill Shorten on Thursday, who said he expected the taxpayer-funded subscriptions to stop.

Labor MPs Mike Kelly, Michael Danby, Peter Khalil, Tim Hammond and Kimberley Kitching spent up to $2000 each to subscribe to a magazine published by the Labor-affiliated John Curtin Research Centre, based in Melbourne, News Corp revealed.

Labor MPs Tim Hammond, Mike Kelly, Kimberley Kitching and Michael Danby. Credit:Fairfax Media

Fairfax Media can report Senator Kitching, Mr Danby, Mr Hammond and Dr Kelly all serve on the centre's advisory board, along with numerous other state Labor MPs. The positions are not paid.