This was published 6 years ago
'Devastated': Sacked ABC boss Michelle Guthrie threatens to sue over 'unjustified' termination
Sacked ABC boss Michelle Guthrie says she is "devastated" and has threatened to sue after she was removed by the board of directors halfway through her five-year term.
Ms Guthrie, the first woman to helm the national broadcaster, said no one had raised concerns with her about how she was handling the ABC's digital transformation strategy.
ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie has been axed from the public broadcaster.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
ABC chairman Justin Milne said Ms Guthrie had been sacked because the board wanted a different "leadership style", citing concerns about her poor relationship with the federal government.
According to a source close to Ms Guthrie, she was warned by the board in recent weeks about a number of leadership issues, including her frequent trips to Singapore, where her husband lives. However, it is understood all those trips were approved by Mr Milne.
Ms Guthrie was also told ABC staff engagement had fallen, and feedback from her direct reports was negative. She had tightly streamlined the ABC's top management since taking up the role.
In a statement on Monday, Ms Guthrie said there was "no justification" for her removal.
"I am devastated by the board's decision to terminate my employment despite no claim of wrongdoing on my part," she said.
"At no point have any issues been raised with me about the transformation being undertaken, the Investing in Audiences strategy and my effectiveness in delivering against that strategy.
"While my contract permits the board to terminate my appointment without cause and with immediate effect, I believe there is no justification for the board to trigger that termination clause. I am considering my legal options."
Ms Guthrie started in the role in May 2016 and has battled internal tensions, a frosty relationship with the Coalition government and a tightening budget - at the same time as the ABC embarks on an ambitious bid to digitise its future.
Appearing on ABC television on Monday, Mr Milne refused to detail the "ins and outs" of why the managing director was sacked, but said the board wanted a different "leadership style".
He said Ms Guthrie had been "pretty good on the digital stuff", but the ABC needed to commit "wholeheartedly" to an expensive plan, known as Project Jetstream, which would create a digital infrastructure for the ABC's long-term future.
Mr Milne described Ms Guthrie as a "good networker" who "tried hard" to cultivate her relationship with the federal government, but said she could have improved in that crucial part of the job.
"That's possibly an area that could have been better; I think that's fair to say," he said.
"It's a very difficult role. It's a very nuanced relationship, but it's fundamentally important. It's important to be very engaged, to be in Canberra a lot, to have a presence."
Mr Milne said the board's decision to fire Ms Guthrie had not been taken lightly and had been decided over "a long period of time".
He announced the move on Monday and, in an email to staff, promised "a change in leadership does not mean a change in strategy".
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was informed about the board's decision by Communications Minister Mitch Fifield on Sunday night, but it was a matter for the ABC.
"That's their job to decide how well that show's being run," Mr Morrison told reporters. "It's not for me to agree or not agree - it's their job. They've made their decision and they're responsible for it."