ABC boss Mark Scott apologises to Tony Abbott over offensive tweet; PM

The tweet appeared on TV screens around the nation during ABC’s Q&A programme, a live weekly show similar to the BBC’s Question Time.

A TWITTER user with a questionable nickname is causing a stir for ABC’s panel show Q&A after their comment popped up while ABC personality Annabel Crabb was in mid-discussion. Tweets are filtered for their content, but the ABC has been criticised in the past for broadcasting tweets with handles that featured lewd phrases.

“The ABC should apologise to the Prime Minister and its viewers”.

“Look, I haven’t had a chance to respond to the text message that I had, because it’s been a very busy morning”, Abbott told the media in Queensland.

“The ‘Abbott Loves A***’ account is a friend of mine”.

The panel was unaware of the offending Twitter handle at the time of the broadcast, but New South Wales MP Fiona Scott quickly tweeted a screen shot of it saying: “What a disgraceful Twitter handle for @QandA to broadcast!”

Others were not as supportive, with many believing that “heads will roll” at the broadcaster ABC following the obvious mistake.

Mallah caused a stir in June when he appeared in the Q&A audience to ask a question relating the Abbott government’s stated intention to strip Australians of their citizenship if they joined overseas wars.

“Thank you all for the kind messages”.

Some, including the original tweeter, even lauded the event as a victory for “free speech”, but the Twitter account appeared to have been removed by Tuesday. Long live Qanda, ‘ he wrote.

Twitter users are encouraged to share their thoughts during each program.

“We can’t possibly read all of the tweets during an episode of Q&A, so we catch a random selection of what has been written”, a message on the website says.

Mr Abbott has previously blasted the program and ordered an inquiry after the decision to give a “terrorist sympathiser” air time.

During the show, Mr Mallah got into an angry exchange with Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade Steve Ciobo over the government’s proposals to strip dual nationals involved in terrorism of citizenship.