Federal Attorney-General George Brandis is appealing against a tribunal decision forcing him to reconsider handing over his electronic diary to his Opposition counterpart.

The ABC understands lawyers for Senator Brandis contacted shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus' office on Tuesday afternoon, informing them of their intent to take the matter to the Federal Court.

Key points: Brandis to appeal diary handover request in Federal Court

Brandis to appeal diary handover request in Federal Court Dreyfus requested diaries to see who Brandis was meeting in lead-up to key policy decisions

Dreyfus requested diaries to see who Brandis was meeting in lead-up to key policy decisions Dreyfus says fight against diary release waste of public money

In December, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal found Senator Brandis's office had been wrong in rejecting a freedom of information (FOI) request from Mr Dreyfus for a print-out of the Attorney-General's weekly electronic diary for dates between September 2013 and early 2014.

Mr Dreyfus wished to examine who Senator Brandis was meeting in the lead-up to key policy decisions in his portfolio.

Senator Brandis's chief of staff, who was in charge of considering the original FOI application, rejected the request on the basis it would substantially interfere with the Attorney-General's ministerial function.

It was argued Senator Brandis would have to sit down with his staff and personally inspect each diary entry before giving it approval to be released.

Justice Jayne Jagot found no practical reason for refusing the FOI request.

She said she was not satisfied by arguments that releasing the diary would result in security concerns, as it could indicate "regular movements or arrangements" the Attorney-General keeps.

Her ruling did not mean the diary would have to be handed over immediately, rather Senator Brandis's office would need to reconsider the application.

The matter was likely to be drawn out further, with an appeal of the tribunal decision to the Federal Court in coming months.

A spokeswoman for Senator Brandis told the ABC the Attorney-General had instructed the appeal be lodged.

"The AAT has made findings which have wide-ranging implications for the FOI system," she said.

"Accordingly, it is in the public interest that there be judicial clarification of how the FOI system operates.

"As the matter is now before the Court, it would not be appropriate to comment further."

Mr Dreyfus said the fight against releasing the diary was "an extraordinary waste of public money".

He told the ABC that Senator Brandis was trying to set an "appalling precedent" by blocking access to the diary.

"His colleague Julie Bishop, the Foreign Minister, has had no difficulty in releasing a month of her diary — immediately, on request," Mr Dreyfus said.

"This is a basic proposition about accountability and transparency in Government.

"Australians are entitled to see what cabinet ministers are doing to fill their days.

"I'm wanting to know, on behalf of Australians, what it is that this Attorney-General does."

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