Labor MP Michael Danby charged taxpayers $4574 for two newspaper advertisements attacking the ABC's coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

According to documents released to blogger William Summers under freedom of information law, the sum spent by Mr Danby as part of his parliamentary communications allowance comprised $1650 for each of the half-page ads in The Australian Jewish News as well as graphic design costing $1274.

The MP for Melbourne Ports, an electorate with a large Jewish population, has long been outspoken in his defence of Israel and previously defended the advertisements criticising ABC journalist Sophie McNeill, saying he had spent a "small amount".

In its advice to Mr Danby on the first request, the Department of Finance said it complied with the rules, which required the spending be on "parliamentary or electorate purposes", but warned he might "need to publicly justify and defend the item if required".