Chief Magistrate refuses to stand down

ACT Chief Magistrate Ron Cahill is refusing to stand down after it was revealed he is the subject of a police investigation.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jon White called in police last week over material provided to Victorian Magistrate Peter Lauritsen.

ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell on Tuesday confirmed that Mr Cahill and his office were being investigated as the alleged source of the documents.

Mr Cahill, who retires next month, said he hadn't been asked to stand down.

"I haven't been asked to stand down and, quite frankly, have no intention of standing down," he told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

"I have a power of work to do and... I have every intention of completing my work."

Mr Cahill said he had received some general legal advice on the matter and vowed to defend his reputation.

"I'll fight it as far as I have to fight it because I have a firm belief there is nothing at all I've done wrong," he said.

"My reputation has been besmirched already but I'll take it to the highest court in the land if necessary because it's something I value.

"I can only trust that people read the headlines and listen to what's occurring with an open mind."

Mr Cahill said he had spoken to Mr Corbell about the allegations against him and was disappointed they'd become public knowledge.

"Any publicity at this stage, and the inferences that are being raised, are totally regrettable both for me and also for the court and everyone else," he said.

Mr Cahill said he was co-operating with police but insisted he had done nothing wrong.

"This is not a case of me influencing a magistrate at all. This is a case of doing what I thought was appropriate to assist in making the case run appropriately," he said.

Meanwhile, ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope was backing Mr Corbell's handling of the situation.

"I believe he has taken entirely the right steps," he said.

But opposition legal affairs spokeswoman Vicki Dunne thought things could have been done better.

"I'm concerned this matter has played out in the public when it really shouldn't (have)," she said.

Ms Dunne said she had asked Mr Corbell for a briefing on the matter but hadn't yet received one.