The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been forced to apologise for an April Fools’ Day prank that was in pretty horrible taste.

Last week, public servants were told they were to be sacked in an announcement plastered on department TV screens at the Australian Passport Office.

A fake announcement on the TV screens said the workplace was being broken up and moved to Melbourne.

The message told more than 30 workers, many of whom are on temporary contracts, that they would have to move interstate and re-apply for their jobs.

Insiders say the message stayed on the display for hours, despite obvious distress among the workforce.

Managers reportedly told staff it should have been obvious that the message was a joke.

But staff were justifiably anxious, given that DFAT is in the process of cutting around 500 jobs, while 11,000 Commonwealth government jobs having been axed in 2014.

DFAT has issued an apology to the lower-ranked public servants who duties include checking passport applications.

DFAT admitted its cruel – and tragically unfunny – prank was “ill-judged”, “regrettable” “insensitive” and clearly caused distress.

The manager responsible for the bad joke has reportedly been “counselled” over his conduct.