ABC chairman’s alleged casual nicknames for female staffers sparked a divide with Michelle Guthrie

The relationship between ABC chairman Justin Milne and former managing director Michelle Guthrie reportedly broke down over the way he would refer to her and other females while staff were present.     

Ms Guthrie was sacked from her $891,000-a-year job by Mr Milne on Monday, just halfway through her five-year term.

Mr Milne is alleged to have referred to Ms Guthrie, the ABC’s first female managing director, as ‘the missus’ while other staff were present, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

A media executive has also claimed the ABC chairman had called female staffers ‘babes’ and ‘chicks’, according to the report.

ABC chairman Justin Milne (left) is alleged to have referred to former managing director Michelle Guthrie (right) as ‘the missus’, The Sydney Morning Herald reported 

Ms Guthrie (pictured) reportedly advised those close to her language used by Mr Milne had contributed to her broken relationship with him 

Ms Guthrie (pictured) reportedly advised those close to her language used by Mr Milne had contributed to her broken relationship with him 

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

She advised those close to her it contributed to her broken relationship with Mr Milne, according to the publication.

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

‘Justin wouldn’t have done this (sacked Ms Guthrie) on the basis of anything to do with gender and I would be sure about that,’ Ms Schott said. 

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.

But a legal source quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald said it would ‘be a stretch to say (the language could be) part of an unfair dismissal claim’. 

Kerry Schott, a non-executive director on the board of the National Broadband Network alongside Mr Milne (pictured), said he was 'respectful' to women

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

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 

The allegations come amid Mr Milne reportedly ordering Ms Guthrie to fire a top political journalist to appease then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, saying ‘you just have to shoot him’.

As the crisis of editorial independence further engulfs the national broadcaster, it has now been revealed Mr Milne told the then managing director to fire political editor Andrew Probyn because the PM ‘hated him’.

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

She claims he told her ‘you just have to shoot him’.

Those revelations came a day after reports Mr Milne called for star reporter Emma Alberici to be stood down, sparking mass staff protests at the ABC’s Sydney headquarters and calls for Mr Milne to be removed from his post.

Mr Milne and seven other board members had sacked Ms Guthrie following a clash over its direction, low-levels of staff engagement and a series of controversial calls.

Ms Guthrie (right) was sacked by Mr Milne (left) as the ABC's managing director on Monday 

Ms Guthrie (right) was sacked by Mr Milne (left) as the ABC’s managing director on Monday 

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

‘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.’

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