US to press Aust on Ebola response

The United States is calling on Australia to do more to help tackle the Ebola outbreak in west Africa.

At the same time, it has labelled as "counterproductive" Australian travel restrictions on people from the region.

National security adviser Susan Rice says the White House will press Australia and other partners at the G20 summit in Brisbane to "do more, quite frankly".

She cited financial resources for the United Nations appeal, healthcare workers, beds and medical supplies.

"We continue to look to capable partners like Australia to do their part," Ms Rice said.

Australia is funding the staffing of a British-built health facility in Sierra Leone.

But the $20 million contribution has been questioned because only one in five of the 240 hospital staff will be Australians.

Labor says the government should help hundreds of Australian health workers who want to travel to Ebola-hit west Africa.

"I think it is hugely embarrassing for Australia ... to be dragged kicking and screaming to tackle this killer disease," Opposition Leader Bill Shorten told reporters in Hobart on Monday.

Greens senator Richard Di Natale says the government has to answer for the hire of Aspen Medical to run the 100-bed facility until mid-2015.

"We're staggered there has been no tender," he told reporters in Melbourne.

"We're also hugely concerned that the bulk of people who are going to be employed are not going to be Australians."