Federal police will probe whether any commonwealth laws were broken amid claims of a porn distribution ring involving Victorian coalition MPs and advisers.

Former government adviser Don Coulson claims to have organised the sharing of pornography while working for the office of former premier Ted Baillieu.

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An Australian Federal Police spokesperson says it has accepted a referral from the Victorian Labor opposition and is assessing the matter.

“The AFP is currently evaluating this matter to identify any potential offences against commonwealth legislation,” the spokesman said.

“As this evaluation is ongoing, it is not appropriate to comment any further.”

Mr Coulson is suing the state for $67,000 in redundancy pay he claims he is owed after being sacked for other reasons, days after Dr Napthine became premier in March last year.

The government is countersuing for $30,000 it says was a severance package he has to repay, because he allegedly stored, accessed and/or viewed a “considerable amount” of pornography in his office.

The opposition wrote to Victorian and federal police to look into the porn allegations.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said it has received correspondence about the allegations and will assess them.

Dr Napthine says the government will co-operate with any police probe.

Its independent legal advice is that material found in Mr Coulson’s office was not illegal, he says.

Premier Denis Napthine told reporters on Friday the government would co-operate with any investigation.

“These are absurd, bizarre claims from a disgruntled, sacked employee,” he said.

“If there is any investigation we’ll fully co-operate because we have nothing to hide.”

Opposition spokesman Martin Pakula said Labor was gratified police were treating the matter with the seriousness it deserves.

He said Dr Napthine had tried to brush off the allegations.

“The AFP should be given the names of the MPs and minister who are allegedly involved in the viewing and distribution of this material so they can be appropriately investigated,” Mr Pakula said.