Fairfax Media claimed Mr Milne emailed Ms Guthrie in May to insist senior journalist Emma Alberici be fired.
Another report in News Limited publications claimed Mr Milne had ordered the sacking of the ABC’s political editor, Andrew Probyn.
Mr Milne today told Ms Sales he had always tried to safeguard the ABC’s editorial independence.
“There was absolutely no interference in the independence of the ABC by the Government,” he said.
“Nobody from the Government has ever rung me and told me what to do in relation to the ABC.”
Earlier today, the ABC board met without Mr Milne.
When asked whether he sent an email to Ms Guthrie instructing her to “get rid” of Ms Alberici — the ABC’s chief economics correspondent — Mr Milne said it needed to be explained “in context”.
“When there is an issue of editorial independence and accuracy it’s appropriate for the chair to be involved — it’s the chair’s job,” he said.
“[But] I have never sent an email to Michelle Guthrie or anybody else, which says you must sack Emma Alberici or Andrew Probyn or anybody else.”
He described what was reported as “a piece of an email” but later also said: “You can’t go around irritating the person who’s going to give you funding again and again if it’s over matters about accuracy and impartiality.”
