Labor frontbencher Tony Burke says Speaker Bronwyn Bishop is presiding over a question time that's beginning to look like a ''protection racket'' to save Tony Abbott from tough questions.

In its toughest criticism yet of Ms Bishop's performance as Speaker, Mr Burke said question time had turned into a complete joke, with the Prime Minister unable to tell the Australian people what he knew and when he knew it about former assistant treasurer Arthur Sinodinos.

The Labor opposition is experiencing tension with Madam Speaker Bronwyn Bishop. Credit:Andrew Meares

Senator Sinodinos has resigned from his ministerial role as the NSW Independent Commission against Corruption investigates a water company of which he was a director and chairman.

Mr Burke said Labor's relationship with the Speaker was not going well and the climate in the House of Representatives chamber was heating up.