Liberal MPs have jumped to the defence of Tony Abbott after Channel Seven aired footage of the Opposition Leader saying "shit happens" when discussing the events surrounding the death of a digger in Afghanistan.
Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney was shot dead in a battle with Taliban insurgents in August last year.
Channel Seven has broadcast footage of Mr Abbott in October discussing the incident with US commander James Creighton.
Mr Abbott, in Tarin Kowt, is seen saying: "It's pretty obvious that, well, sometimes shit happens, doesn't it?"
Mr Abbott says he has been taken out of context and his comments should not be turned into a media circus.
Senior Liberal Andrew Robb says the Seven Network has committed "a desperately low act against Tony Abbott".
"[It was] a pathetic ambush, where Tony was taken totally out of context," he said in a statement.
"Tony Abbott is a thoroughly decent man and would never, ever say anything disparaging of the men and women of our Australian Defence Force."
Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey has told the 7:30 Report that Mr Abbott is "mortified" by suggestions he has taken the death of an Australian soldier in Afghanistan lightly.
He says Mr Abbott did not mean any disrespect.
"I know when the suggestion was made that he trivialised the death of a digger he would be mortified, absolutely mortified," he said.
"His instant reaction has been to ring that digger's widow. He's spoken to her. That's where the matter should rest."
Mr Hockey says politicians cannot control the "way stories are framed" in the media.
"I know Tony Abbott. He would be absolutely mortified. I know he is; I was with him," he said.
"He is mortified at the suggestion that in any way he was disrespectful of the enormous sacrifice of an Australian digger.
"There's nothing confected about Tony Abbott. He doesn't stage-manage things for the media.
"He is a real person. He has real feelings. And the fact that he had a first chance response of wanting to ring the wife of the digger who may have been offended just illustrates he is a very decent man and he has a very decent heart."
Opposition education spokesman Christopher Pyne has also dismissed criticism of Mr Abbott's comments.
He told Lateline the remarks were "unexceptional" and labelled the Seven Network's report "a beat up".
"The bottom line is Tony Abbott would never make light of the death of an Australian soldier at all," he said.
"Any suggestion to the contrary is insulting."
Mr Abbott says he does not believe Lance Corporal MacKinney's widow Beckie is offended by his comments.
"No-one sacrifices more for our country than a soldier's widow," he said in a statement.
"It was an honour to speak with her again. I thoroughly discussed the Channel Seven report with her and don't believe there are any issues between us. That's where this matter should now rest."
Beckie MacKinney has released a statement saying there is no issue and the matter is over.
Lance Corporal MacKinney, 28, was born in Canberra and was from the Brisbane-based 6 RAR Battalion.
Ms MacKinney gave birth to their third child in the hours after his funeral.
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