Attorney-General Christian Porter has launched defamation proceedings in the Federal Court against the ABC and journalist Louise Milligan.

Mr Porter is suing over an article that contained allegations of sexual assault against him. 

His lawyer says that “the Attorney-General was easily identifiable to many Australians” reading the article, though it did not name him. 

“The trial by media should now end with the commencement of these proceedings,” lawyer Rebekah Giles said in a statement

“The claims made by the ABC and Ms Milligan will be determined in Court in a procedurally fair process.”

The Defamation Act allows the ABC and Ms Milligan to use truth as a defence, which could see the allegations tested against the civil standard.

Mr Porter has hired several lawyers, including barristers Sue Chrysanthou SC and Bret Walker SC, who appeared for Geoffrey Rush in his successful defamation case against the Daily Telegraph. 

Mr Walker also acted for Cardinal George Pell in having his child sex abuse convictions overturned in an appeal before the High Court. His services are reported to cost over $25,000 a day.

The ABC says it will defend the action.

Mr Porter is currently on mental health leave, but his office says he will return to work on March 31. He will miss all of the current parliamentary sitting but return to the House of Representatives for budget sessions in May.