Labor has dragged Malcolm Turnbull's daughter into the housing affordability row after the prime minister joked about parents "shelling out" to help children buy property.

Senior Labor figure Doug Cameron took aim at Daisy Turnbull Brown in parliament on Wednesday, reading out a 2013 news story about how the high school history teacher had listed her apartment in the prestigious Sydney suburb of Potts Point for offers of more than $3 million when she was just 28.

"I know that history teachers in NSW after a number of years of experience are on about $65,000 a year," the senator said.

"But Ms Daisy Turnbull Brown is able to buy a sub-penthouse with knock-out views of the harbour and city skyline in 2008, she was then aged 23, for the pricey sum of $2.7 million."

The spray came after Mr Turnbull joked with ABC Radio's Jon Faine that he should "shell out" to help his children buy a home.

"You should support them, a wealthy man like you," he said.

Senator Cameron accused Mr Turnbull of being out of touch, insisting many Australians were battling to survive and put food on the table, let alone helping their kids buy homes.

"There is no doubt that Ms Turnbull Brown had no chance of, under her own steam, getting a penthouse with stunning views," he said.

"People around the country just can't do this - get in touch with the real-life people in this country."

Nationals senator John Williams hit back, pointing to Senator Cameron's own property in a wealthy Canberra suburb.

"Why don't you tell us about your waterfront flat down here at the Kingston Foreshore."