Former ABC chairman Maurice Newman has lashed the decision to ignore the recommendations of an independent panel in selecting the next leader of the public broadcaster, as the government prepares to announce publishing icon Ita Buttrose as its choice.

Mr Newman, who was picked by former prime minister John Howard to chair the ABC board between 2007 and 2012, said the government's selection of Ms Buttrose instead of a shortlisted candidate selected by the panel "makes a mockery" of the process and is unfair to candidates.

Ita Buttrose has a long and distinguished track record in the media. Credit:Alan Porritt

"It destroys the integrity of the process and I think you'd feel entitled to feel a little aggrieved if you had applied to the process and then to find that somebody else altogether, who hadn't gone through it, is selected," he said.

"If you don't want to have a process, fine. Leave it up the PM or the minister or the tea lady or whoever. Everyone knows that's the basis of the selection. But I don't really see the point of having a process that is not observed. It makes a mockery of it."