Tony Abbott has urged the ABC to have a long, hard look at itself, saying the national broadcaster had betrayed Australians by giving a convicted terrorist sympathiser a platform on live television.
Zaky Mallah, who was jailed for threatening federal government officials in 2003, clashed with parliamentary secretary Steven Ciobo during the Q&A program on Monday night.
Mr Mallah said the view of Mr Ciobo and other Liberals gave many Australian Muslims the justification they needed to join Islamic State militants.
Host Tony Jones ruled the comment "totally out of order".
Mr Abbott and other government MPs are furious the ABC allowed Mr Mallah to take part in the program.
"They have given this individual, this disgraceful individual, a platform and in so doing, I believe the national broadcaster has badly let us down," the prime minister told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.
Millions of Australians would feel betrayed by the ABC, he said.
But Mr Abbott would not publicly repeat from comments he made to a meeting of coalition MPs earlier on Tuesday when he labelled Q&A a "lefty lynch mob".
The broadcaster has acknowledged it made an error in judgment by allowing Mr Mallah to join the live audience and ask a question.
"The circumstances of Mr Mallah's appearance will be reviewed by the ABC," director of television Richard Finlayson said in a statement.
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has asked ABC chairman James Spigelman to consult with federal police as part of the review.
"This incident last night does raise issues about the safety of audience and the way in which the physical security of audiences and guests is protected," he told reporters.
He described Mr Mallah's appearance as a "very grave error of judgment" by the ABC.
While conceding Q&A was an important program, Mr Turnbull said it also had an obligation to be balanced and objective.
He praised colleague Mr Ciobo for the way he handled the questioner.
In 2005 Mallah was cleared of preparing a suicide attack on a commonwealth building but was jailed for two years after admitting he'd threatened to take workers hostage at the ASIO and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade offices when he was refused a passport.
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