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Guthrie’s ABC termination payment was $1.64m

The ABC has revealed former managing director Michelle Guthrie got $1.64 million in a termination payment.

The ABC has revealed former managing director Michelle Guthrie got $1.64 million in a termination payment. Photo: AAP

Sacked ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie was paid $730,000 to drop her legal case against the national broadcaster, taking her total termination payout to $1.6 million.

A reluctant ABC managing director David Anderson was forced to reveal the figure in parliament on Wednesday, after MPs invoked parliamentary privilege.

Earlier this week, he revealed Ms Guthrie’s original settlement was $911,000, not $800,000 as previously reported. The additional $730,000 confirmed on Wednesday takes the total sum to $1.64 million.

The $730,000 payment is also substantially more than the $500,000 speculated on by Nine Network newspapers earlier this week.

In fact, it is close to a payout of her entire contract, given Ms Guthrie was sacked from her $900,000 a year job halfway through a five-year term.

The disclosure is breach of a confidentiality agreement signed by both parties to finalise the long-running court action. ABC sources had raised fears that Ms Guthrie might seek further damages if the national broadcaster was forced to reveal the figure.

Ms Guthrie could not sue for unfair dismissal because she was earning over $900,000 a year. However, she lodged a claim for adverse action on the grounds that her dismissal was in retaliation for raising complaints against former chairman Justin Milne.

The New Daily has contacted Ms Guthrie for comment.

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