Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has urged the ABC to have a "long, hard think" about a skit aired by it that mocked Prime Minister Tony Abbott's vow to "shirtfront" Russian President Vladimir Putin over the MH17 disaster.
Terming the segment "sad" as it sought to make fun of Tony Abbott's pledge to hold Russia accountable for the crash, Bishop said that the families of the 38 Australian passengers killed during the crash would be "devastated" after watching the program, reported Brisbanetimes.com.au.
The skit was aired on last Wednesday's edition of the ABC's flagship current affairs television program 730.
The television network defended the program as "a continuation of the program's long tradition of covering politics through satire.