Porter appeals barrister disqualification

Former attorney-general Christian Porter is appealing against a Federal Court decision preventing barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC acting for him in his defamation case against the ABC.

Mr Porter has filed a notice of appeal to the Full Federal Court, another of his lawyers Rebekah Giles said in a statement on Friday.

Justice Tom Thawley prevented Ms Chrysanthou acting for the federal minister on the grounds that Jo Dyer, a friend of the woman who alleged he raped her in 1988, had given the barrister information relevant to the defamation case.

Mr Porter is also appealing the judge's decision "to substantially redact" text messages between Ms Dyer and ABC journalist Annabelle Crabb, Ms Giles' statement says.

Justice Thawley on Thursday publicly released documents including those texts and a transcript of an interview that Ms Dyer did with ABC's Four Corners last year.

The interview details allegations - strenuously denied by Mr Porter - that he raped the woman three times when they were both teenagers and why Ms Dyer believed her friend.

Mr Porter did not object to the documents being released, Ms Giles says, but out of respect for the dead woman's family would not comment in detail.

The woman took her own life a year ago and Mr Porter settled his defamation action with the ABC in May.

But Ms Giles' statement said the documents released this week highlight "serious contradictions in the materials on which ABC based its reporting".

Lifeline 13 11 14

beyondblue 1300 22 4636