NATION Milne ousted off ABC board
THE ABC is engulfed in a crisis over political interference after chairman Justin Milne became the second board member in days to be forced out of his post.
Mr Milne resigned yesterday, saying the allegations had created a “firestorm” and he wanted to help ensure public confidence in the ABC.
But the saga threatens to cause ongoing problems for the Government, with Labor and the Greens planning to set up a Senate inquiry that could seek evidence from the former ABC board members and Malcolm Turnbull.
Another probe by the head of the Communications Department Mike Mrdak is set to report within days and could recommend changes to safeguard the ABC’s independence.
Mr Milne said no one in the Government had “told me what to do in relation to the ABC” but added “you can’t go around irritating the person who’s going to give you funding”.
In an interview on ABC’s 7.30, he said a leaked email in which he urged former managing director Michelle Guthrie to “get rid of” economics correspondent Emma Alberici because the Government “hate her” needed to be explained “in context”.
“When there is an issue of editorial independence and accuracy it’s appropriate for the chair to be involved,” he said.
“I have never sent an email to Michelle Guthrie or anybody else, which says you must sack Emma Alberici or Andrew Probyn or anybody else.”
Mr Milne is alleged to have urged Ms Guthrie to “shoot” Mr Probyn, who is the ABC’s political editor, after complaints from MPs.
Mr Turnbull has insisted he has never called for any journalist to be sacked but admitted he had complained over inaccuracies in reports.
Mr Milne stepped down after the ABC board met yesterday without him. An interim chair will be appointed before the Government de- cides on replacements for both him and Ms Guthrie.
The former chair was at the forefront of the surprise decision to sack Ms Guthrie on Monday after he criticised her “leadership style”.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison backed Mr Milne’s decision yesterday, tweeting it was “the right call”.
“Time for the ABC to resume normal transmission, both independently and without bias. That is what Australia’s taxpayers pay for and deserve,” Mr Morrison said.
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield also backed the resignation after earlier saying it was a matter for every high office holder to continually assess whether they “retain the capacity to effectively discharge their duties”.
But his Opposition counterpart Michelle Rowland said there were many unanswered questions about the alleged Government interference.
“The public’s trust and confidence in the ABC has taken a battering,” she said.