Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has denied issuing any directions to his friend, ABC chairman Justin Milne, to pressure the public broadcaster's management to sack journalists or change editorial decisions.

Key points: Malcolm Turnbull denies he gave instructions to the ABC chairman on any matter

Malcolm Turnbull denies he gave instructions to the ABC chairman on any matter Justin Milne is refusing to step aside as chairman of the ABC's Board

Justin Milne is refusing to step aside as chairman of the ABC's Board The Daily Telegraph alleges Mr Milne was pressuring Ms Guthrie to also sack political editor Andrew Probyn

Mr Milne is refusing to step aside from the helm of the ABC's Board, following revelations in Fairfax media on Wednesday he emailed then-managing director Michelle Guthrie to insist senior journalist Emma Alberici be fired.

"[The government] hate her," Mr Milne is reported to have said to Ms Guthrie, adding "Get rid of her. We need to save the ABC — not Emma."

The incident has led Communications Minister Mitch Fifield to ask his department to investigate the veracity of the reports, and Labor and the Greens to urge the Senate to launch an urgent inquiry into potential political influence at the ABC.

The Daily Telegraph has today alleged Mr Milne was also pressuring Ms Guthrie to sack political editor Andrew Probyn, arguing she just had to "shoot him".

Ms Guthrie was dumped by the ABC Board earlier this week, halfway through her five-year term as managing director, with Mr Milne arguing the directors believed it was not in the best interests of the public broadcaster for her to continue in the position.

The ABC chairman was appointed to the position last year, and is a former business partner of Mr Turnbull.

"As is a matter of public record, we did complain about the very poor standards of journalism, and lack of accuracy of journalism shown on a number of occasions by ABC journalists," Mr Turnbull said as he arrived at an event in New York City.

"I gave no instructions to the ABC chairman on any matter."

Decisions about staff 'independent of government'

The former prime minister argued the independence of the public broadcaster was more important than ever, and said that was what prompted him to complain of what he argued was inaccuracies in reporting.

"The chairman of the ABC and the managing director of the ABC and the director of news at the ABC are talking to politicians, and other members of the public, presumably, all the time," Mr Turnbull said.

"Just as the executives and news directors and editors of the private sector media are — it's very important to be engaged.

"But the decisions about staff or any other matters that are within the jurisdiction of the board, are taken by the board independent of government."

ABC News has contacted representatives of Mr Milne for comment on the latest reports.

Mr Turnbull has been in Manhattan since being ousted as prime minister late last month.

He had been scathing in his critique of the ABC's chief economics correspondent, Emma Alberici, over a series of reports she wrote, and directed Senator Fifield to lodge formal complaints with the public broadcaster.

Hundreds of ABC staff across the country voiced their concern at the alleged intervention by Mr Milne, calling on him to stand aside while an investigation into the incident was completed.

Labor and the Greens' calls for a Senate inquiry look likely to be successful, with key crossbench senators including Stirling Griff, Rex Patrick and Tim Storer voicing in-principle support.

The Federal Opposition had criticised Senator Fifield's decision to launch an internal investigation, with Shadow Communications Minister Michelle Rowland describing it as a "whitewash designed to shield" the Coalition from "independent scrutiny".