Justin Milne to stay on as ABC chairman after board meeting

WILL GLASGOW

less than 2 min read

5:17PMSeptember 26, 2018

11/07/2018: ABC chairman Justin Milne before giving a speech on future of ABC at American Chamber of Commerce event in Sydney.Pic by James Croucher

Justin Milne’s ABC board has met and backed their chairman - for now.

The ABC board met via a phone hookup this afternoon to discuss the fall-out from today’s damaging revelation that Milne had written an email to then managing director Michelle Guthrie in May that ordered the sacking of ABC journalist Emma Alberici.

Margin Call understands all but one member of Milne’s board were present for the crisis meeting, which was finished in less than an hour. The outstanding member spoke to Milne afterwards.

Despite mounting pressure - from the ABC’s staff to the Labor Party to the Greens - the board has backed Milne’s continuation as chair.

“We have to hold the line,” a source close to the board told Margin Call.

It’s understood the board — which along with chairman Milne includes executive coach Donny Walford and of the Minerals Council of Australia chair Vanessa Guthrie, McGrath chair Peter Lewis, SCA Property Group director Kirstin Ferguson, Royal Flying Doctor Service director Georgie Somerset, investment banker Joe Gersh and ABC staff director Jane Connors — also expressed its unity on its decision to sack Guthrie on Monday and its subsequent handling.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also met this afternoon with Communications minister Mitch Fifield to discuss the matter.

Fifield later announced that communications secretary Heather Smith would conduct an inquiry would “establish the facts” around the attempt by Milne, a former business partner of Malcolm Turnbull, to have Alberici dismissed from the ABC.

The ABC board had expected a certain messiness would follow their decision at Sunday’s board meeting to dismiss Guthrie, although they have been stunned by its scale.

Earlier today an estimated 350 ABC journalists in Sydney backed a resolution demanding their chairman Milne stand aside immediately, pending an independent investigation into the Alberici affair.

It’s understood they are now braced for the next move from Guthrie, who spent the day catching up with confidantes and lunching at Sydney’s Rockpool Bar & Grill with Japanese business advisory expert Melanie Brock.

Bracing for more damage seems a wise approach.