ABC firing claim to get department inquiry

A demand from the ABC chairman that a journalist be fired because the government hated her will be the subject of a departmental inquiry.

ABC chairman Justin Milne's demand to get a journalist sacked because the government hated her will be investigated in a departmental inquiry.

An email has revealed Mr Milne instructed former ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie to fire the broadcaster's chief economics correspondent Emma Alberici in May, because the coalition government was unhappy with her.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield on Wednesday afternoon announced the Communications Department secretary will undertake an inquiry into the matter and report as soon as possible.