Barrister Sue Chrysanthou will no longer represent Christian Porter in his defamation case against the ABC.

The former attorney-general commenced the proceedings in March, after the ABC published an article about an unnamed cabinet minister accused of an historical alleged sexual assault. He came forward as the minister in question on March 3, and rejected the allegations that he had raped a woman in 1988, when she was 16.

The case was put on pause when Jo Dyer, a friend of the now deceased woman who accused Porter of rape, had argued that Chrysanthou’s representation of Porter was a conflict of interest. Dyer claimed that she had once been a client of the barrister.

Justice Tom Thawley on Thursday decided that Chrysanthou could not represent Porter, noting that she was ‘given information that was confidential and has remained confidential since’.

“I have concluded that there is a danger of misuse of the confidential information by Ms Chrysanthou,” he said.

“A fair minded member of the public would say Ms Chrysanthou should not act for Mr Porter.”

Earlier on Thursday, the Federal Court issued an order stating that ‘no order of the court in this proceeding prevents the parties from providing unredacted versions of the defence and reply to any mediator appointed by the parties in connection with any mediation in the proceeding’.

Porter and the ABC are entering into mediation.

READ MORE: Judge halts Christian Porter ABC defamation case over alleged conflict of interest