Leading figures of the Australian Labor Party have asked the leadership to force to the sidelines a prominent member accused of corruption while serving as a minister.

According to the Australian Associated Press, Labor leaders from New South Wales are pushing for the suspension of Ian Macdonald, who is now under investigation for alleged wrongdoing while in office.

The Parliament has asked the Independent Commission Against Corruption to look into the allegations against the former Labor stalwart, who faces accusations that he accepted favours from business figures.

One case involved Macdonald's alleged dealings with Ron Medich, a prominent NSW real estate business executive, who supposedly gifted the former minister with an intimate time with a woman, identified by the ICAC inquiry as a certain Tiffanie.

Medich's initiative, according to the ICAC probe, was his way of appreciating Macdonald's intervention that allowed the business tycoon to enjoy a fruitful discussion with state officials.

The encounter with Tiffanie, according to AAP, occurred in a Sydney hotel on July 15, 2009, as arranged by Medich.

In his testimony before the anti-corruption body, Macdonald had admitted meeting with Tiffanie but said the appointment was for a massage session and not any sexual favours.

Another complaint against the former Labor minister stemmed from the questionable tender process that transpired between NuCoal and Doyles Creek mining firms, two entities that participated in the Hunter Valley exploration transaction.

NuCoal eventually took over Doyles Creek in February last year but not before the latter was given a licence in December 2008 by Macdonald, a decision that ICAC said was preceded by the minister's meeting with John Maitland of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union.

Maitland later on played a prominent role in the tender process as per the report forwarded by the Parliament to the corruption watchdog.

In his appearance before the ALP leadership, John Robertson asked the party to suspend Macdonald on the strength of the corruption charges.

Himself a subject of previous corruption allegations, Robertson insisted that "I have not been involved in these sorts of things and I will not tolerate this behaviour if it's going on," as reported by ABC.