The ABC has backed presenter Yassmin Abdel-Magied after she was blasted on social media for an Anzac Day post that sparked offence.
The host of ABC 24's Australia Wide program suggested in a Facebook post yesterday that Australians should spare a thought for those on Manus Island and in Syria instead of Anzacs.
"Lest We Forget (Manus.Nauru. Syria. Palestine)," she wrote.
She was forced to delete the post after receiving a barrage of comments from irate social users.
"It was brought to my attention that my last post was disrespectful, and for that, I apologise unreservedly," she wrote in a follow up post.
While the 26-year-old author may have hoped her apology would be taken for what it was, Abdel-Magied found herself the target of venomous, racist abuse.
"...disgusting ... disrespecting our country's veterans," one incensed Facebook user wrote.
Others called for her to be sacked by the ABC.
The ABC last night said it would not take any action against the "part-time presenter".
“Her views and opinions in that capacity are her own and do not represent those of the ABC,” the broadcaster said in a statement to The New Daily.
Liberal senator Eric Abetz labelled Abdel-Magied's Facebook post "unfortunate", "disrespectful" and "deeply reprehensible".
"Tens of thousands of Australians, from all walks of life, have gone to war and paid the ultimate sacrifice. Today, we pay tribute to them – not seek to use their sacrifice for cheap political point scoring as Ms Abdel Magied has done," he said.
"The freedom she enjoys to make such disrespectful comments is what the people whom we commemorate today fought and died for. But that is where self-discipline, respect and decency need to be added into the equation, something Ms Abdel Magied has displayed she lacks."
Ms Abdel-Magied is not shy of controversy; in February this year she was engaged in a screaming row with Senator Jacqui Lambie on Q&A.
The verbal stoush was triggered by a debate on US President Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban.