The Attorney-General has been slammed for his plan to return to “full-time salary doing part-time work”. 

Attorney-General Christian Porter has been on leave since allegations first surfaced that he was the culprit in a historical sex crime. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has allowed Mr Porter to hand off parts of his job to subordinates while he pursues legal action against media outlets that reported the allegations. 

Assistant minister Amanda Stoker likely to take on some of the role, while Employment Minister Michaelia Cash is currently acting as attorney-general and could assume some of Mr Porter’s duties if required.

Mr Porter will also be required to leave the room if certain matters are raised.

“In an abundance of caution and to avoid any perception of conflicts of interest the Attorney-General will not perform certain functions that may relate to the federal court and the ABC,” Mr Morrison said last week. 

Mr Porter’s planned return to work on 31 March suggests he may  attend the next meeting of attorneys general, which will be looking at model defamation law reform, among other things.

The federal and state attorneys general last year agreed to changes to make defamation laws less plaintiff-friendly.

The attorneys general are set to consider the responsibilities and liability of digital platforms for defamatory content published online at the upcoming session. 

Labor’s deputy leader in the upper house, Kristina Keneally, says Mr Porter’ treatment will infuriate women. 

“When I talk about rage and anger that the Australian women are feeling, let’s look at the proposition that is being put here,” Senator Keneally said.

“[The proposition is] that Christian Porter can return to his job as attorney general on a full-time salary but doing the part-time work, that parts of his job will be hived off artificially to other people and he will be given the time and space on his full-time salary to fight his defamation case.

She said it would be “wonderful if women who are victims of domestic violence in this country had access to paid leave when they have to go to court to escape their abusers”.