Guthrie pushed back for Alberici and Probyn

The sacked ABC boss defended journalists Andrew Probyn and Emma Alberici from attacks by chairman Justin Milne.

Sacked ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie. Picture: AAP

Sacked ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie defended ABC journalists Andrew Probyn and Emma Alberici from attacks made by ABC chairman Justin Milne, as well as rejecting pressure to make changes to the national broadcaster’s Tonightly program and Triple J’s Hottest 100.

Mr Milne, who sacked Ms ­Guthrie on Monday, wanted his former managing director to sack chief economics correspondent ­Alberici and discipline political editor Probyn, according to sources familiar with the situation.

But Ms Guthrie “stared down” her chairman on a range of matters that had prompted complaints from the government, according to a source.

These included Alberici’s articles about corporate tax that were rewritten and edited due to errors of fact and omission and impartiality concerns.

Instead Ms Guthrie defended ABC staff several times on the grounds of free speech and editorial independence, according to sources familiar with the matter.

After Probyn characterised former prime minister Tony Abbott as “the most destructive politician of his generation”, Ms Guthrie ­resisted pressure from Mr Milne over the issue and spoke up on the need to support ABC talent, editorial ­independence and free speech.

Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s principal private secretary, Sally Cray, a former ABC media manager, contacted ABC executives to tell them that Probyn was “out of control”. Broadcast regulator the Australian Communications and Media Authority, which received multiple complaints, later ruled that the controversial Probyn report breached impartiality standards, but Ms Guthrie refused to issue a public apology.

The ABC and ABC board was contacted for comment.

The ABC Act tasks the board with maintaining “the independence and integrity” of the corporation and the ABC has legislated editorial independence.

It has an internal complaints channel and ACMA has some oversight.

ABC editorial policies contain requirements for accuracy, impartiality and independence. When Mr Milne sacked Ms Guthrie on Monday, he made reference to her management “style” and said relations with Canberra needed to be improved.

When comedy program Tonightly called a conservative political candidate a “c...” in March, Mr Milne demanded a formal apology from the ABC.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield made a complaint to ACMA after Australian Conservatives candidate for the Batman by-election Kevin Bailey was attacked for refusing to appear in an interview.

But ACMA ruled the program did not breach the harm and offence provisions of the ABC Code of Practice. ABC head of television David Anderson rang Mr Bailey to apologise, and the program was later cancelled.

Another flashpoint came late last year when ABC youth radio station Triple J announced it would move its Hottest 100 music countdown from Australia Day to a nearby weekend, after complaints from listeners and a debate about the day’s meaning to indigenous Australians.

Senator Fifield urged the public broadcaster’s board to intervene, claiming the ABC was making a “political statement”. Ms Guthrie resisted Mr Milne’s requests that the decision be changed.

Mr Milne emailed Ms Guthrie about Alberici on May 8, an email later circulated to board members in the week before the managing director was fired. “They (the government) hate her,” Mr Milne said in the email, according to Fairfax Media.

Yesterday Mr Milne said: “The job of the ABC board is to independently govern the corporation, protect its best interests, ensure that it is well funded, well managed and that our content is of the highest standards. That is precisely what the board has done and will continue to do. I do not propose to provide a running commentary on day-to-day issues which arise in pursuit of our ­duties.”