Defence Minister Stephen Smith has condemned crass jokes directed at Australia's most highly decorated serving soldier on a morning television program.
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Presenters on Channel Ten's The Circle called Afghanistan War Victoria Cross and Medal for Gallantry recipient Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith brainless before questioning his sexual prowess.
''Such comments directed at anyone are reprehensible,'' Mr Smith said.
''Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith has received the appropriate apologies, as he should have. He has accepted them, which is the measure of the man and his family.''
The ''brainless'' comment was the work of The Circle's Yumi Stynes.
''He's going to dive down to the bottom of the pool and see if his brain is there,'' Ms Stynes said after a picture of Roberts-Smith in bathers was flashed on to the screen.
Guest George Negus then questioned the sexual prowess of the 33-year-old father of twin daughters who were conceived by IVF.
''I'm sure he's a really good guy, nothing about poor old Ben, but that sort of bloke, I wonder if they're not up to in the sack,'' he said, prompting another panellist, to chip in, ''Are you intimating, George Negus, that he could be a dud root?''
Mr Negus and Ms Stynes have since personally apologised to the 203cm tall frontline patrol leader.
''I was a little surprised at the comments, but I also understand they were not meant to be malicious,'' Corporal Roberts-Smith said. ''My wife [Emma] and I were extremely touched by the outpouring of support and concern. I have now put this matter behind me.''
Others were less forgiving.
Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Senator David Feeney said: ''It is inappropriate for people to make those sorts of comments in that sort of public space around people who do the most extraordinary and dangerous work for their country.''
Corporal Roberts-Smith was awarded the Medal for Gallantry for single-handedly thwarting an advance on his position by 16 insurgents in Uruzgan in 2006. He received the Victoria Cross after risking his life to take out two Taliban machine gun nests in Kandahar Province in 2010.
Opposition defence spokesman Senator David Johnston said: ''If the people who made the comments took the trouble to read why he was awarded those medals they would realise just how irreverent they had been.''
Australia Defence Association executive officer Neil James said the remarks had been in poor taste.
''I am relieved the public has reacted so strongly - it does show the regard in which people such as Corporal Roberts-Smith, and other soldiers, are held,'' he said.
Former Chief of Army and now an academic at the University of Canberra, Professor Peter Leahy, said the comments were ''an absolute disgrace'' and should be investigated for a ruling on whether they complied with guidelines for media behaviour.
''Australians do admire and respect their soldiers,'' he said. ''Ben is a good bloke, a great Australian and he is doing a good job.''
The support for Corporal Roberts-Smith and his wife Emma will come as no surprise to Chief of Defence Force, General David Hurley. He recently told The Canberra Times that despite a rough year in 2011 morale in the ADF was fine. ''They're a very resilient bunch in the ADF and I think the country should be very proud of them.''
