The ABC Chair resigns following claims of Australian political interference

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EPA

The president of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has resigned as a result of allegations of political interference.

Justin Milne resigned from the national television channel when he asked for the dismissal of journalists because the Australian government hated their reports.

The government denied having pressured the broadcaster about its staff.

ABC Chief Executive Michelle Guthrie was fired on Monday.

Mr. Milne stated that there had been no interference from the government, and he was retiring to "provide a release valve" of public pressure.

"No one from the government has ever rang and told me what to do about the ABC," he said.

& # 39; Get rid of it & # 39;

The government has announced an investigation into allegations of inappropriate intervention by Milne, former trading partner of former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

He allegedly lobbied for the dismissal of two senior journalists whose reports criticized the government.

In an email leaked about a journalist, economic journalist Emma Alberici, he wrote: "They hate her … rid her of her.We need to save the ABC, not Emma."

The Australian media reported that he also asked Ms. Guthrie to fire the CBA political editor saying, "You must shoot him."

The revelations prompted protests on Wednesday from staff of the TV station who called for the dismissal of Mr Milne and protection of the editorial independence of the organization.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has welcomed the release of Mr. Milne.

"It's time for the CBA to resume normal transmission, independently and without bias," he said on Twitter.