Attorney-General George Brandis is facing calls for his resignation over a controversial directive to the Commonwealth solicitor-general.
Justin Gleeson reportedly denies he was consulted by Senator Brandis over new guidelines ruling that no one in government, including the prime minister, could seek the solicitor's advice without the minister's permission.
Tabling the rules in parliament days before the election was called, Senator Brandis said he'd consulted Mr Gleeson on the directive.
However, Mr Gleeson wrote to Senator Brandis in May saying he didn't accept he'd been consulted, raising concerns the minister may have misled parliament, the Australian Financial Review reported on Friday.
Labor has jumped on the claims saying Senator Brandis, as the nation's highest law officer, should know better.
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"It's disgraceful conduct from the attorney general and the prime minister should be demanding his resignation today," shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus told ABC radio.
Mr Dreyfus said the substance of the allegations was serious and the public would be poorer for it if government officials and independent agencies were no longer able to seek the solicitor's advice.
"That's a very sad day."
A spokesman for Senator Brandis said the attorney-general met with the solicitor-general on November 2015 to consult him over a briefing.
The directive complied with the Law Officers Act.
"Mr Dreyfus is being his usual shrill self," the spokesman said.
