September 27, 2018

Colt 2471.1 - The Whole Thing from ABC to XYZ

15th Feb 2018.
Emma Albericie wrote a piece for the ABC News website which stated that there isn't a compelling case for corporate tax cuts when 20% of the ASX200 don't actually pay company tax in the first place and modelling suggests that even if there was a tax cut, they wouldn't pass that money on to their staff in the form of higher wages either.

16th Feb 2018.
After complaints from the then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, ABC News removed the analysis piece about the government’s proposed corporate tax cuts, by Ms Albericie.

16th Feb 2018.
It was found out that the then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, complained to ABC Chairman Milne.

10th Apr 2018.
The letter from the Prime Minister's Office  to the ABC, was released to the Senate. The letter claimed that Ms Alberici sought to “ignore or undermine anyone who disagrees with her" and that “Alberici has a habit of including comments from and interviewing only people who agree with her”.

Unknown:
Justin Milne rang Michelle Guthrie after meeting Turnbull to say the PM "hates” Andrew Probyn and “you have to shoot him”. If she refused, Milne allegedly told Guthrie she was “putting the future of the ABC at risk” and risking “half a billion" in funding for Jetstream

Also unknown:
ABC chairman Justin Milne sent former managing director Michelle Guthrie an email telling her to "get rid of" chief economics correspondent Emma Alberici.

Also unknown:
Guthrie refused to do his bidding.

13th Sep 2018.
Ms Guthrie was asked to resign, on the day after attending Parliament's Midwinter Ball with ABC chairman Justin Milne and refused. This apprently prompted the board to sack her.

24th Sep 2018.
ABC chairman Justin Milne sacks Michelle Guthrie as Managing Director of the ABC.

Probably 24th Sep 2018.
Guthrie leaks to The Australian? Unknown but the most likely scenario.

24th Sep 2018.
The Australian is the first to publish the news that Michelle Guthrie had been sacked as ABC MD; before any other media outlet.

24th Sep 2018.
Chris Kenny complains on Sky News that the ABC is dysfunctional. Chris Kenny as the Associate Editor of  Australian is the most likely person who received the leak from inside the ABC or Ms Guthrie.

26th Sep 2018.
ABC Staff meet to condemn Milne's actions and call for his sacking. They vote unanimously on the motion to be put to the board.

27th Sep 2018.
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield declines to back Mr Milne, when asked if the chairman should remain in the role, suggesting he should consider his position. The Minister says that he has always respected the ABC’s independence and has never sought to involve himself in staffing matters. “I have only ever raised with the ABC matters in relation to facts in reporting. I’ve done so on half a dozen occasions.”

27th Sep 2018.
The ABC board asks Justin Milne to step aside while the inquiry is going on. The view of the board is that he can not continue as Chair while he was being investigated.

27th Sep 2018.
@leighsales - 11:48am
I just finished an extensive interview with Justin Milne in which he announces his resignation as ABC Chairman.  Don't miss #abc730 tonight.

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