Yassmin Abdel-Magied’s ABC show Australia Wide axed

The ABC is discussing future ­opportunities with Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied after axing the show she hosts.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied, whose ABC show has been axed by the ABC. Picture: Chris Pavlich

The ABC is discussing future ­opportunities with Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied after axing the show she hosts.

Abdel-Magied sparked a ­furore last month with her Anzac Day post: “Lest We Forget (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine ...)”, prompting criticism from senior government MPs.

In a statement yesterday, the national broadcaster said its decision to scrap Abdel-Magied’s Australia Wide show was not related to the backlash over her comments.

“ABC News is changing how we deliver long-form local journalism in order to better match our audience’s needs,” an ABC spokeswoman said.

“Instead of concentrating on one weekly broadcast slot, we will be using our best local and state-based longer-form ­pieces across the news channel, the extended weekend 7pm news and online. As a result, Australia Wide has not been renewed for another season.”

ABC managing director ­Michelle Guthrie last night also insisted the decision was not related to the Facebook post.

Ms Guthrie said that while Ms Abdel-Magied’s post had “definitely” breached the ABC’s social media policy, counselling Ms Abdel-Magied was sufficient.

“We strongly believe that counselling Ms Abdel-Magied was the appropriate action to take considering the nature of the infraction, that it was only up there for a very short period of time,” she told a Senate estimates hearing.

“It was a private Facebook post. She had an immediate apology and deep expression of regret and she understands and I spoke to her specifically.

“She absolutely understands and acknowledges that the comment was inappropriate and apologised profusely.”

The axing of the show, which Abdel-Magied has hosted since last year, is part of a broader ABC restructure, which will see as many as 200 jobs cut in a bid to ­reinvest $50 million back into ­regional and online content.

“This decision has been under consideration for some time and was not to do with any controversy over presenter Yassmin Abdel-Magied,” the spokeswoman said.

“Yassmin was aware the program was under review, and we are discussing with her future opportunities at the ABC.”

Australia Wide screens on ABC News 24 on Saturday mornings and ABC TV on Sundays.

The show’s blurb touts Abdel-Magied presenting “stories from the people and places that make up the Australian experience — from the city streets to the urban centres and beyond, we look behind the stories that make the news”.

On Monday, the Sudanese-Australian mechanical engineer told 60 students at a Sydney Writers Festival workshop she was treated unfairly over the Anzac Day post.

This was despite Abdel-­Magied apologising and deleting the post. At the time, the ABC released a statement saying Abdel-­Magied ­“acknowledged that the timing and nature of the post was ­disrespectful”.

“Yassmin Abdel-Magied published on Anzac Day a post on her Facebook page that she subsequently retracted, apologised for and deleted.

“Ms Abdel-Magied is also engaged in a range of other activities and work that is not related to the ABC. Her views and opinions in that capacity are her own and do not represent those of the ABC.”

Abdel-Magied sparked outrage in February when she claimed Islam was “the most feminist religion” during an appearance on the ABC’s Q&A program.