The sacking of ABC Managing Director Michelle Guthrie and resignation of ABC Chairman Justin Milne made the headlines
Dismissal and resignation follow alleged political interference
Following his sacking of ABC Managing Director (MD) Michelle Guthrie on 24 September, ABC Chairman Justin Milne announced his resignation two days later, after hundreds of ABC staff passed motions demanding his resignation, Milne had indicated shortly before that he had no plans to resign.
ABC’s director of entertainment and specialist David Anderson will serve as acting MD until a formal search process finds a successor.
A former Google and Foxtel executive with no experience in broadcast journalism, Guthrie was the first female managing director in the ABC’s history. She was sacked halfway through her five-year term.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported ABC insiders saying that Guthrie had been made aware several weeks ago that her job was in jeopardy.
ABC reports that she was given the option to resign earlier in September, after months of tension with the board, but she refused.
A source close to the ABC board told ABC News that various senior executives were so unhappy with Guthrie they were prepared to quit; a number of ABC staff were also reportedly displeased with her management style.
Milne and other members of the board were becoming increasingly frustrated by what they believed were her leadership failings, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Guthrie is reported to consider taking legal action.
Political interference
Milne, who was appointed ABC chairman last year, is a friend and former business partner of Malcolm Turnbull, who was prime minister until August this year. Milne denied having failed to maintain the ABC’s independence from government.
However, in an email sent in early May, Milne asked Guthrie to sack ABC chief economics correspondent Emma Alberici following complaints from the coalition government.
“I think it’s simple. Get rid of her. We need to save the ABC – not Emma. There is no guarantee they [the Coalition] will lose the next election,” Milne reportedly wrote.
Alberici told ABC that reports Milne ordered Guthrie to sack her after criticism from the government are “disappointing if true”.
ABC political editor Andrew Probyn was also the subject of formal and informal Coalition accusations of inaccurate reporting, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
For his part Turnbull denied having told Milne to order the sacking of Alberici and Probyn.
What’s next for ABC?
Following the sacking of its MD and resignation of its chairman, in the wake of allegations of political interference, ABC News outlines the following steps:
- Government to appoint an acting chair.
- Report due within days by Communications Department Secretary Mike Mrdak into veracity of media reports about ex-chairman’s complaints against ABC reporters.
- Chairman nomination panel appointed by Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary.
- Panel assesses nominees and the prime minister advises Governor-General, who signs off on new chairman.
- Board appoints new managing director for five-year term.
- Senate inquiry expected to be set up looking at political interference in the ABC, with a view to taking evidence from the ex-chairman, ex-managing director and former PM Malcolm Turnbull.
- Senate estimates committee to hear from acting chairman, acting managing director and senior management from ABC.
Whatever the outcome, ABC governance has suffered significant harm to its credibility and its reputation, which it needs to overcome decisively.