The ABC has written to Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton asking for any police action into two of the broadcaster's journalists to be dropped, but Minister Dutton has rejected the ABC's request, saying "nobody is above the law."

ABC managing director David Anderson (pictured) told staff in an email that the national broadcaster preferrs "to break news rather than be the news."

ABC Managing Director David Anderson has called on the Commonwealth Government to decriminalise journalism and bolster protections for whistleblowers to safeguard the public right to know.

The ABC’s newly appointed Managing Director, David Anderson, has told Radio National that the broadcaster has a couple of priorities that need to be addressed immediately.

David Anderson has been confirmed as the ABC's new Managing Director.

The Acting Managing Director of the ABC, David Anderson,  has written to staff telling them that despite extensive requests from the ABC, the Budget papers have locked in the $83.7 million pause in indexation funding flagged in last year’s budget.

He has told staff that on top of the $254 million the ABC has had to absorb in efficiency cuts over the past five years, the first year impact of a $14.6 million cut will mean that to meet costs there will have to be some tough decisions on staffing and services.

David Anderson is this afternoon appearing before the Senate, Environment and Communications References Committee into allegations of political interference in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The Committee has also grilled other ABC staff regarding interference from former Chairman Justin Milne.