ABC chairman Justin Milne has resigned amid an ongoing scandal at the national broadcaster, with a government department now investigating allegations of political interference.
The resignation comes following an emergency meeting of the ABC board, for which Mr Milne was not present.
"My aim has been to look after the interests of the corporation," Mr Milne told the ABC, confirming he would step down.
The outgoing chairman said his decision was driven by a need to protect the broadcaster's reputation and denied he had ever been pressured to sack reporters by members of the Turnbull or Morrison governments.
"Nobody from the government has ever rung me and told me what to do in relation to the ABC. Nobody ever told me to hire anybody, fire anybody or anything else. They absolutely didn't," he said.
"I know that's the sort of narrative that's been running in the papers but that absolutely never happened."
Mr Milne also said he never demanded anyone be sacked because the government didn't like their reporting, but maintains he was entitled to intervene in editorial issues.
"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.
"[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."
Prime minister Scott Morrison tweeted that the chairman and the board made the "right call" and said it was time for the ABC to "resume normal transmission".
Earlier, the prime minister described allegations Mr Milne demanded the sackings of senior journalists as “very concerning”, but denied the chairman's comments were a consequence of political pressure from the Coalition.
“They're pretty serious allegations I've got to say. And on the face of it they’re very concerning,” Mr Morrison said.
The Labor opposition went further, saying it no longer had “confidence” in his leadership and describing his position as “untenable”.
Turnbull: I never asked for reporters to be sacked
The communications minister's comments came after a similar denial from former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Mr Turnbull denied asking ABC chairman Justin Milne, his former business associate, to put pressure on the ABC's managing director to sack some of the broadcaster's most senior journalists, including its politics and economic correspondents.
Fairfax Media reports allege that while still prime minister, Mr Turnbull called Mr Milne to complain about a report on the government's company tax cuts produced by chief economics correspondent Emma Alberici, which he claimed was full of inaccuracies.
An explosive email has revealed Mr Milne told his former ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie to fire Ms Alberici in May.
Mr Milne was also said to have ordered Ms Guthrie to fire the broadcaster's political editor Andrew Probyn, telling her "you just have to shoot him", because Mr Turnbull hated him.
Speaking in New York, Mr Turnbull defended complaining about ABC "inaccuracies" but strongly denied asking for any reporters to be sacked.
"That is not right. The bottom line is I have never called for anybody to be fired," Mr Turnbull told News Corp Australia.
"My concern has been on the accuracy and impartiality of news reporting.
"Accuracy is critically important and I have to say... [the ABC] has failed in that regard in a number of examples in recent times."
