Beijing worries a new McCarthyism: Foley

The NSW opposition leader says attacking Chinese Australian politicians over potential links to Beijing is "a new McCarthyism" that must stop.

Labor leader Luke Foley on Thursday savaged a Sydney media report which suggested his party's MP Ernest Wong had been unknowingly cultivated by Chinese government intelligence operatives.

The Fairfax Media report said Australian intelligence agencies had evidence of direct dealings between suspected Chinese government agents and Mr Wong.

Mr Foley said the claim was part of an "established pattern" that tainted Chinese Australian politicians across the board.

The opposition leader wants to be briefed by spy agency ASIO on whether there are concerns the ALP is being influenced by foreign powers.

"It's extremely irregular, it's highly improper and it is a new McCarthyism. It does reveal a cold war mentality," he told reporters.

"With each of these articles, people are tainted as at best unwitting dupes of a foreign power and at worst disloyal to Australia."

Mr Foley also took aim at Australia's intelligence community for leaking the "breathless revelations" to the media.

"There is a proper way for the security agencies to conduct their affairs, this is not it, this is extremely irregular, this is improper and it is contrary to the national interest for an entire community's loyalty to our country to be questioned," Mr Foley said.