The problem is that there is no definition in these rules about what constitutes political or party duties versus duties that may require the electorate officer to  aid the MP's work in the electorate.

In a separate 17-page Code of Conduct for Parliamentary Electorate Officers there is no mention of "political" or "party" within its rules.

Even senior officials say the rules are opaque.

Allegations that Labor employed electorate officers in a pool solely for campaign purposes have shone the light on the entitlement.

Upper House president Bruce Atkinson told parliament that pooling officers was "quite important", especially in Opposition.

But he and Speaker Telmo Languiller are clear electorate officers are not there for political campaigning.

They will investigate the allegations, although no formal complaint has been made.

Under entitlements every lower and upper house MP is entitled to two full-time equivalent electorate officer positions funded and employed through the parliament.

"These positions are provided to support the Member in their parliamentary and electorate duties," the rules on the MPs' intranet say.

"The Parliament does not fund positions to support the Member's political or party duties."

So where does that leave campaigning?

Nearly every EO, as they are known, regardless of what political party their MP belongs to, is likely to be involved in some form of campaigning, be it wearing a T-Shirt or handing out how to vote cards on election day.

Their future employment depends on their boss getting re-elected.

But deliberately hiring EOs solely for the purpose of joining a pool of officers to just campaign at an election does appear to really push the envelope.