The contents of Attorney-General George Brandis' ministerial diary is the subject of a legal stoush in a civil tribunal.

Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus, QC, last year unsuccessfully applied to access Senator Brandis' diary entries over a nine-month period under freedom of information laws.

Nine-month battle: Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus has unsuccessfully applied to access Attorney-General George Brandis' ministerial diary. Credit:Andrew Meares

The diary, partly contained in Senator Brandis' email calendar, is believed to list all of his appointments. His chief of staff, Paul O'Sullivan, refused Mr Dreyfus' application citing a "practical refusal reason".

Mr Dreyfus will represent himself to challenge the decision in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in Sydney on Friday.