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| Australian PM orders boycott of ABC's Q&A programme | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Australian Prime Minister has told his cabinet to boycott a popular talk show on the national broadcaster. | The Australian Prime Minister has told his cabinet to boycott a popular talk show on the national broadcaster. |
| The Australian Broadcasting Corp. (ABC) was criticised after a former terror suspect was allowed on live television show Q&A two weeks ago. | The Australian Broadcasting Corp. (ABC) was criticised after a former terror suspect was allowed on live television show Q&A two weeks ago. |
| Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has cancelled his Monday night appearance, according to local media reports. | Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has cancelled his Monday night appearance, according to local media reports. |
| Mr Joyce's office cited the Prime Minister's order for why he cancelled his appearance, local media said. | Mr Joyce's office cited the Prime Minister's order for why he cancelled his appearance, local media said. |
| "The Prime Minister has communicated that he does not want any frontbencher to appear on Q&A," a spokesman for Mr Joyce told the Sydney Morning Herald. | "The Prime Minister has communicated that he does not want any frontbencher to appear on Q&A," a spokesman for Mr Joyce told the Sydney Morning Herald. |
| The Q&A program has become a lightning rod for debate in Australia about national security and freedom of speech. | |
| Citizenship | Citizenship |
| The ABC last week conceded it was wrong to let Sydney man Zaky Mallah appear live on the program to ask a question. | The ABC last week conceded it was wrong to let Sydney man Zaky Mallah appear live on the program to ask a question. |
| In 2005, Mallah was convicted of threatening to kill government officers but acquitted of terrorism charges. | In 2005, Mallah was convicted of threatening to kill government officers but acquitted of terrorism charges. |
| From his position in the Q&A audience, he confronted Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Steven Ciobo about the government's plans to strip dual nationals of citizenship if they supported terrorism. | From his position in the Q&A audience, he confronted Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Steven Ciobo about the government's plans to strip dual nationals of citizenship if they supported terrorism. |
| Mr Ciobo, who was a panel guest, told Mallah he was pleased to be part of a government "that would say that you were out of the country". | Mr Ciobo, who was a panel guest, told Mallah he was pleased to be part of a government "that would say that you were out of the country". |
| Mallah angrily replied the government had "just justified to many Australian Muslims in the community tonight to leave and go to Syria and join [Islamic State] because of ministers like him". | Mallah angrily replied the government had "just justified to many Australian Muslims in the community tonight to leave and go to Syria and join [Islamic State] because of ministers like him". |
| The ABC show allows audience members to put questions to a panel of figures from various sides of Australian political and social life. | The ABC show allows audience members to put questions to a panel of figures from various sides of Australian political and social life. |
| High-profile politicians regularly appear on the programme. | High-profile politicians regularly appear on the programme. |
| 'Heads should roll' | 'Heads should roll' |
| After Mallah appeared on the programme Mr Abbott said "heads should roll" and questioned the ABC's allegiance. | After Mallah appeared on the programme Mr Abbott said "heads should roll" and questioned the ABC's allegiance. |
| A self-styled media critic and Muslim activist, Mallah had previously been interviewed by several major Australian media outlets and international broadcasters, including the BBC. | A self-styled media critic and Muslim activist, Mallah had previously been interviewed by several major Australian media outlets and international broadcasters, including the BBC. |
| More recently, his regular social media posts have attracted criticism, in part, because of crude and sexist references to several female journalists. | More recently, his regular social media posts have attracted criticism, in part, because of crude and sexist references to several female journalists. |
| A government review led by the Department of Communications found the producers were aware of his criminal convictions but not his more-recent derogatory social media posts when he was selected to ask a question. | A government review led by the Department of Communications found the producers were aware of his criminal convictions but not his more-recent derogatory social media posts when he was selected to ask a question. |