A former communications minister has leveled a scathing attack on Malcolm Turnbull, accusing him of having a history of harassing journalists at the ABC.

His comments come as the former prime minister denies pressuring ABC Chairman Justin Milne to sack two high-profile reporters.

It’s alleged Mr Milne emailed the ABC’s then-managing director Michelle Guthrie, demanding the dumping of reporter Emma Alberici because the government “hated her”.

Mr Milne also allegedly called for the national broadcaster’s political editor Andrew Probyn to be turfed, arguing Ms Guthrie had to “shoot” him.

Former communications minister Stephen Conroy says Mr Turnbull has a long history of “harassing” journalists and the ABC and was even involved in driving a technology reporter off-air.

“Malcolm Turnbull helped drive a tech journo off-air at the ABC in a cowardly defence of a journalist who kept exposing the truth about Malcolm Turnbull’s second-rate NBN.

“And journalists who raised this were hounded out of the ABC by Malcolm Turnbull.

“He has form on this. He’s gone after Emma Alberici on a number of occasions. He’s gone after Andrew Andrew Probyn and he went after the technology journalist at the ABC.

“This is a man with form on harassing journalists at the ABC.”

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