National Party Senator Sandy Macdonald has been accused of intervening to prevent independent MP Tony Windsor from receiving political credit at the opening of an aged-care centre in his electorate.
The Uralla Shire Council in northern New South Wales had planned to put Mr Windsor's name on a plaque to be unveiled at the new aged-care centre until Senator Macdonald objected.
Senator Macdonald asked the council to remove Mr Windsor's name from the plaque at the Grace Munro aged-care centre.
A spokesman for Senator Macdonald says he regrets the situation and wants to put it behind him.
Mr Windsor says that is unacceptable. "There's been an act of bullying on a public officer within a council to determine a political outcome against that council's wishes," Mr Windsor said.
He wants the matter investigated by a Senate inquiry already set up to look into government funding for regional projects.
"The issue really isn't whose name is on a plaque," Mr Windsor said.
"The issue that needs to be investigated is the political pressure and bullying that was applied to Uralla council to get an outcome that Senator Macdonald was after.
"That was to remove me from making a speech at the opening of the facility and also to scratch my name off a plaque that the council was planning to put on the building."
Last month, Mr Windsor accused Senator Macdonald and Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson of trying to bribe him through an intermediary to step aside from his seat of New England.
Senator Macdonald, Mr Anderson and the businessman named as the intermediary all denied the claim.
