ABC board will meet without Justin Milne to decide his fate after the Emma Alberici scandal

The ABC’s board has asked embattled chairman Justine Milne to step aside after an urgent crisis meeting.

ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie was sacked from her $891,000-a-year job by chairman Justin Milne on Monday, just halfway through her five-year term.

It has been alleged Mr Milne asked Ms Guthrie to fire star economics reporter Emma Alberici and political editor Andrew Probyn after pressure from then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Mr Milne is also alleged to have referred to Ms Guthrie, the ABC’s first female managing director, as ‘the missus’, and called women staffers ‘babes’ and ‘chicks’.

At a crisis meeting on Thursday – where Mr Milne was not present – the public broadcaster’s board has asked the chairman to step down while a government investigation is underway.

ABC chairman Justin Milne (left) is alleged to have referred to former managing director Michelle Guthrie (right) as ‘the missus’

Mr Milne had emailed Ms Guthrie demanding she 'get rid' of chief economics correspondent Emma Alberici (pictured) to appease the government

Mr Milne had emailed Ms Guthrie demanding she ‘get rid’ of chief economics correspondent Emma Alberici (pictured) to appease the government

He is refusing to quit despite the allegations against him.

Ms Guthrie told an ABC board meeting on Friday that Mr Milne told her if she didn’t fire Mr Probyn she would be putting the ABC at risk of losing millions of dollars in government funding, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Ms Guthrie claims Mr Milne told her ‘you just have to shoot him’ because Mr Turnbull hated him. Mr Turnbull has denied calling for any ABC staff to be fired. 

In an email leaked from the chairman to Ms Guthrie in May regarding Ms Alberici, Mr Milne reportedly wrote: ‘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.’

Mr Turnbull had complained to Mr Milne about a controversial report by Ms Alberici on corporate tax, which had angered the coalition. 

Hundreds of ABC staff protested at the ABC’s Sydney headquarters and called for Mr Milne to be removed from his post. 

Mr Milne had said Ms Guthrie’s removal as managing director was about ‘our commitment to deliver best possible outcomes for our loyal audience’.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull had been angered at Ms Alberici's analysis slamming company tax cuts, a Liberal Party policy

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull had been angered at Ms Alberici’s analysis slamming company tax cuts, a Liberal Party policy

‘In resolving to seek fresh leadership, the board’s foremost consideration was the long-term interests of our own people and the millions of Australians who engage in ABC content every week,’ Mr Milne said on Monday.

In a statement following her sacking, Ms Guthrie said that ‘at no point have any issues been raised with me’ about her staffing changes.

‘I am devastated by the board’s decision to terminate my employment despite no claim of wrongdoing on my part,’ Ms Guthrie said.

‘I believe there is no justification for the board to trigger that termination clause.’

ABC staff are pictured holding a meeting outside their offices in Ultimo, Sydney, on Wednesday, where they called for 'no political interference' in the public broadcaster 

ABC staff are pictured holding a meeting outside their offices in Ultimo, Sydney, on Wednesday, where they called for ‘no political interference’ in the public broadcaster 

A media executive has claimed the ABC chairman called female staffers ‘babes’ and ‘chicks’, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The publication reported it was understood Ms Guthrie thought the language Mr Milne had used was inappropriate.

But Kerry Schott, a non-executive director on the board of the National Broadband Network alongside Mr Milne, said he was ‘respectful’ to women.

Ms Guthrie has threatened legal action following her dismissal and has now hired barrister Kate Eastman SC of New Chambers and employment lawyer Ruveni Kelleher of commercial law firm JWS.  

Ms Guthrie has threatened legal action following her dismissal 

Ms Guthrie has threatened legal action following her dismissal 

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