Australians could be warned not to travel to Gallipoli for Anzac Day after Turkey's president warned they might return "in coffins" and played footage of the Christchurch massacre at a political rally.
Official travel advice to Turkey is under review and the country's ambassador could face expulsion after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a rally Australians who go to Turkey with anti-Muslim views "will be gone like your grandfathers".
"Remarks have been made by the Turkish President Erdogan that I consider highly offensive to Australians, and highly reckless in this very sensitive environment," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday.
He said they insulted the memory of the Australian and New Zealand troops who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey in World War I. The nations have since spent 100 years at peace.
The Turkish president played footage of the Christchurch mosque massacre at an election rally before telling Australians: "Your grandparents came, some of them returned in coffins."
"If you come as well like your grandfathers, be sure that you will be gone like your grandfathers."
Turkish officials say Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has held a telephone conversation with his Australian counterpart Marise Payne, but the details of the conversation were not revealed.
Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, 28, was charged with murder on Saturday after a lone gunman opened fire at two Christchurch mosques during Friday prayers, killing 50 people.
Mr Morrison summoned Turkish ambassador Korhan Karakoc to Parliament House to explain the remarks and tell him the president should withdraw them.
"The excuses I don't accept are things are said in the heat of the moment. The excuses that I don't accept are that things are said in an electoral context," Mr Morrison said after the meeting.
The prime minister confirmed all options for responding to Turkey were on the table, including expelling the ambassador.
Mr Karacoc told reporters as he exited Parliament House: "We had a frank exchange with the prime minister and the Gallipoli spirit will always remain."
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten backed Mr Morrison's stance on Mr Erdogan's "foolish" remarks.
"We in Australia do not want or expect to be judged by the actions of a single, deranged Australian," Mr Shorten said in Perth.
"But perhaps there's a lesson also here for us. That when individuals of other faiths act, maybe we shouldn't be so quick to judge the faith."
Australia's travel advice for Turkey is already set at "exercise a high degree of caution", due to the high threat of terrorism.
President Erdogan also called on New Zealand to restore the death penalty for the gunman, warning Turkey would make the attacker pay if they did not.
The president has jailed thousands of government officials, academics, journalists, political leaders, Kurds and members of the military since taking power.
The RSL said Anzac forces had fought against "exactly the sort of hate and extremism these comments represent".
