The full text of an email sent by former ABC chairman Justin Milne about journalist Emma Alberici reveals he wanted the high-profile presenter sacked because she was "sticking it" to the government with a "clear bias".

Mr Milne, who resigned as chairman of the public broadcaster on Thursday, complained in an ABC interview that his email to former managing director Michelle Guthrie was presented "out of context" when Fairfax Media broke the story of his attempt to have Alberici removed.

Ms Guthrie pasted a copy of the email in a document to the board last week, days before she was fired. The full version, read to Fairfax Media by a person who witnessed Ms Guthrie's presentation, reveals the extent of his concerns about Alberici as chief economics correspondent.

The text read: "After two glasses of red of course there's an agenda. They fricken hate her. She keeps sticking it to them with a clear bias against them. We clear her as ok. We r tarred with her brush. I just think it's simple. Get rid of her. My view is we need to save the corporation not Emma. There is no g'tee they will lose the next election [sic]."