Mr Milne and Mr Turnbull became friends during their time together at OzEmail, the internet service provider Mr Turnbull co-founded. Mr Turnbull later appointed Mr Milne to the board of NBN Co. Mr Milne reportedly told then ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie earlier this year that Alberici and Probyn should be removed because their reporting had angered the government and that keeping them on staff would hamper efforts to increase the ABC's government funding. Former managing director Michelle Guthrie, chairman Justin Milne and former PM Malcolm Turnbull in August. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen “They [the government] hate her,” Mr Milne said in an email to Ms Guthrie, revealed by Fairfax Media yesterday. “We are tarred with her brush. I think it’s simple. Get rid of her."

Mr Turnbull said he had "obviously" spoken to Mr Milne and other ABC executives about concerns about the ABC's coverage and that it was the board's responsibility to address unfair or inaccurate reporting. Loading "I want to be very clear: I have not complained and do not complain about left-right bias," Mr Turnbull said. "My concern has been purely about the accuracy and impartiality of news and current affairs reporting on the ABC. "That is the critical thing and I do believe it has deteriorated over recent years which is regrettable.

"Everybody is entitled to express their views about the ABC, and ministers and prime ministers do and have done always. Loading "It's important that 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 the government." Mr Turnbull added: "The bottom line is I've never called for anyone to be fired; my concern had been the accuracy and impartiality of reporting. "The chairman of the ABC and managing director of the ABC and director of news at the ABC are talking to politicians and other members of the public presumably all the time - just as editors in the private sector are."

A month after his removal as prime minister, it was clear Mr Turnbull was still rankled by the ABC's reporting during his prime ministership. He said his private criticisms echoed complaints that had been "ventilated publicly" at the time and had been officially referred to the ABC's complaints division. Mr Turnbull singled out ABC reports that he had set the dates of the Super Saturday by-elections to coincide with Labor's national conference when it was actually Speaker Tony Smith's decision. "It was a misstatement of fact and that's just one example of poor journalism, inaccurate journalism," he said. "No other media outlet made that mistake and it's regrettable the ABC did." ABC chairman Justin Milne told managing director Michelle Guthrie to fire journalists that had angered the government, Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

When he was appointed chairman, Mr Milne told Fairfax Media that Mr Turnbull was a "high-minded public servant" who would not seek to interfere in editorial content. Loading "I don't think he will be ringing me up and saying, 'Get that person off Q&A' or anything like that," he said. Mr Milne is also chair of accounting software group MYOB and NetComm Wireless, and sits on the board of Tabcorp Holdings. Mr Turnbull said it is "more important than ever that the ABC upholds the standards of accurate and impartial standards of journalism".

"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 standards of objective journalism," he said. Mr Turnbull was at the UN headquarters in Manhattan representing Australia on stage at an event on tobacco divestment while Foreign Minister Marise Payne watched from the audience. He said he had been asked by world leaders and foreign ministers why he was no longer prime minister. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video "Yes I've had questions about it but they are the same questions that Australians have asked," he said.