Senior Labor figures are distancing themselves from a growing dispute over the estate of Bob Hawke, including allegations the former prime minister told his daughter not to report being raped in order to protect his leadership ambitions.

On what would have been Mr Hawke's 90th birthday, Labor leader Anthony Albanese and senior frontbenchers refused to comment on allegations Mr Hawke's youngest daughter, Rosslyn Dillon, was raped by Victorian ALP figure Bill Landeryou, who died earlier this year.