“We are tarred with her brush. 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 Milne's email sheds new light on the turmoil inside the highest levels of the ABC, and will raise questions about whether his demand was an appropriate course of action for a chairman. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Mr Turnbull had sent a list of 11 grievances to the ABC’s news director Gaven Morris on May 7 over a story written by Alberici about the government’s research and innovation spending. We need to save the ABC - not Emma Justin Milne in the email

Mr Morris forwarded the complaint to Ms Guthrie, who then emailed Mr Milne directly, according to a board source concerned about the chairman’s choice of words. The ABC has legislated operational and editorial independence from the government and formal channels for complaints, including through the media regulator. One of the duties of the board enshrined in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act is to "maintain the independence and integrity" of the corporation and to ensure the accurate and impartial gathering and presentation of news. ABC's political editor Andrew Probyn. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The government’s criticism of the ABC has grown more forceful over the past year, with Alberici and political editor Andrew Probyn the subject of formal and informal Coalition accusations of inaccurate reporting. Fairfax Media reported on Monday that Mr Turnbull complained about Probyn’s reporting to Ms Guthrie at a pre-match function before last year’s AFL grand final. Mr Milne, who is a former business partner of Mr Turnbull’s, asked Ms Guthrie to resign and sign a deed of release on September 13 - halfway through her five-year term. She refused, was fired and is now considering taking legal action against the public broadcaster.

Board sources told Fairfax Media Ms Guthrie presented materials to the board in the 11 days before she was sacked in an attempt to resolve criticisms about her leadership style, overseas travel, relationships with federal MPs and handling of editorial issues involving Probyn, Alberici and Melbourne radio host Jon Faine. The sources said the materials included the contents of Mr Milne’s email telling her to "get rid of" Alberici. Loading It is understood the intervention from the chairman raised eyebrows on the board, even among those directors inclined to support Ms Guthrie’s termination. Mr Milne has a longstanding friendship with Mr Turnbull but said this would have “zero impact” on his role when he joined the public broadcaster in April 2017. "The board was united in its disappointment at the need to correct content in the [Alberici] article. The board takes seriously its responsibility, as legislated in the ABC Act, to ensure that editorial output is accurate," a spokesman for the ABC board told Fairfax Media on Tuesday night. A spokesman for Ms Guthrie declined to comment.