ABC head David Anderson grilled by Coalition senators over Louise Milligan's speech, tweets

ABC managing director David Anderson was interrogated on Tuesday morning by Liberal senator Sarah Henderson, who raised concerns over a speech made by Four Corners journalist Louise Milligan to ACT lawyers in October.

Senator Henderson asked whether he considered Ms Milligan's speech, and subsequent tweets made by her defending against the claims, a breach of the code of conduct.

Mr Anderson rebuffed any responsibility for the reporter's tweets, considering them of a "personal nature" and not in breach with ABC guidelines.

He said, however, he would look into the nature of the speech once he got a copy of it.

"You are failing as an organisation with you as the managing director in charge to rein in the conduct of journalists on their social media accounts," Senator Henderson told Mr Anderson.

Ms Milligan's speech, which has not been seen by The Canberra Times, was reported by another media outlet to have "shamed" female barristers and lawyers who defended people accused of sex crimes - a claim Ms Milligan said is inaccurate.

It was delivered to the Women Lawyers' Association Gala Dinner held on October 28.

In a letter dated November 3, the ACT Bar Association's president Rebecca Curran expressed concerns over Ms Milligan's speech, calling it "insensitive" and "polemical".

"Ms Milligan seemed to generalise that all barristers who acted for defendants in sexual assault matters were 'part of the problem'," Ms Curran wrote.

"Ms Milligan was also impliedly critical of those members of the association who are employed by the DPP and undertake the difficult work of prosecution of serious offences.

"She seemed to encourage lawyers to run cases in the media, and promoted misconceptions concerning the criminal justice system.

"Most damaging, her speech was divisive of the community that had gathered to celebrate women in the law."

The top ABC reporter said Senator Henderson's line of questioning, which repeated the letter's claims as fact, was "fictitious" and the "opposite" of her speech's subject.

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Ms Milligan added President Curran had also approached her on the night, thanking her for the speech.

"What Senator Henderson said just now in parliament is completely fictitious. And the opposite of what I said in my speech," Ms Milligan said in a social media post on Tuesday.

"I challenge Senator Henderson to repeat these false claims outside parliament."

Committee chair Karen Grogan intervened on a number of occasions after tempers rose during the estimates appearance, and even temporarily suspended the session.

Senator Henderson, joined by senate colleague James McGrath, said the Labor committee chair was running a "protection racket" for the public broadcaster.