Malcolm Turnbull denies he called for any ABC journalist to be sacked

Malcolm Turnbull says he never called for any ABC journalist to be sacked and his complaints were made publicly.

ABC chair Justin Milne, former ABC Managing Director Michelle Guthrie and Malcolm Turnbull during the ABC showcase event at Parliament House in Canberra in August. Picture: Alex Ellinghausen.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has said he never called for any ABC journalists to be sacked and the complaints he made about the ABC were vented publicly and related only to the accuracy of its journalism.

Speaking in New York, Mr Turnbull refused to say whether ABC chairman Justin Milne should resign but said the independence of the ABC was more important than ever.

“The complaints that I made and the government made about the ABC during my time as prime minister related to the accuracy of its journalism,” he said. “The ABC board has an obligation under Section 8 of its act to ensure that news and information on the ABC is accurate and impartial in accordance with the accepted standards of objective journalism and so that is part of the board’s responsibility.”

Mr Turnbull said that he had spoken at times to Mr Milne but that any complaints by the government “have all been ventilated publicly.”

“I want to be very clear I have not complained and I do not complain about sorts of left or right bias, my concern has been purely about the accuracy and impartiality of new and current affairs reporting on the ABC, that’s the critical thing and I do believe it has deteriorated in recent years which is very regrettable.

“Everybody is entitled to express their views on the ABC and ministers, prime ministers do and have done always, that’s very important, the ABC engages with government but I want to be very clear that the ABC is independent, the chairman and the board are independent of government. The complaints that have been made have related to the accuracy of news reporting and these are all matters of public record.”

Mr Turnbull denied that he had ever called on the ABC to sack a reporter.

“I have never called for anybody to be fired, my concern (was) on the accuracy and impartiality of news reporting.

“Independence is vital,” he said. “The ABC is more important that ever in an era of social media in an era of fake news in an era when so many of the traditional mainstream media, (when) their financial viability is so threatened the ABC is more important than ever. That is why it is so vital that it has high standards of journalism and that its reporting is accurate and impartial.

“I have to say, it has failed in that regard on a number of occasions in the recent past, so high standards of accurate and impartial journalism is what’s required.”

Mr Milne is under fire for undermining the independence of the ABC after it was revealed that he wanted journalist Emma Alberici sacked because the government ‘hated’ her.