State ALP secretary John Dowling said last night that the party was considering whether to press for a police investigation and other possible legal action against The Australian for publication of the story.

The Australian's Tasmanian journalist Matthew Denholm confirmed that the story, which he co-wrote, would not be pulled from the newspaper's online section and that a printed version would run in the newspaper this morning.

He said that the newspaper was comfortable with its sources and the stories that related to claims over Tasmanian union assistant secretary and former political candidate Kevin Harkins.

But Mr Dowling said that he was disappointed about the matter and the timing of it three days before the state election.

He said that it could be damaging to the reputation of the party and to individuals.

He confirmed that the ALP's lawyers had issued letters last night to all Tasmanian media outlets warning against using the same information.

"Since the information was stolen from the party headquarters, any dealing with it including reproduction of it may attract criminal responsibility in that it involves the receiving and use of stolen property," the lawyer's letter said.

Mr Dowling alleges that someone recently entered the ALP's Hobart offices without authority and accessed and copied three-year-old records that included the names and other details of party members.

Mr Denholm said that the ALP had threatened to take out an injunction against the publishing of the story yesterday but it had gone ahead anyway.