Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s decision to nominate Prince Philip for a knighthood has created a flurry of conversation.

Many are outraged by Mr Abbott’s move, which was revealed on Australia Day, saying it has caused public embarrassment.

It has also puzzled and angered many of his colleagues, who are disappointed at the criticism the decision has attracted.

• Queen’s hubby gets top honour
• ‘I wish he hadn’t’: Conservatives react to Sir Philip
• Why Prince Philip deserves a knighthood 

Queensland Liberal Ewen Jones told The New Daily that the racehorses Danehill, Makybe Diva and Octagonal and cricketers David Boon and Shane Warne would have been more worthy recipients than Prince Philip.

Given what we now know about the PM’s criteria, we’ve come up with a list of five people Mr Abbott could have chosen who really deserve the honour, and a (tongue in cheek) list of five people who really would have got the nation in a lather.

Should haves

Rod Laver: In our eyes, Australian tennis champion and former world No.1 Rod Laver has comprehensively aced the competition to make it onto this list. The main court at Melbourne Park has been named after him, and he was inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame with a bronze bust erected in Garden Square.

Australian tennis champion Rod Laver (L) involved in a “selfie” with fellow champs, Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong and Ken Rosewall. Photo: Getty

Graeme Clark: Australian doctor Graeme Clark was a key figure in the research and development of the Bionic-Ear – a multiple-channel cochlear implant. Professor Clark says he never gave up on finding a way to help the profoundly deaf hear.

Cochlear implant recipients Graham Carrick (l), who was the first person to receive the implant, and two-year-old old Ryan Salter with Professor Graeme Clark who invented the Cochlear Implant. Photo: AAP

Olivia Newton-John: Olivia Newton-John is the one that we want, ooh, ooh, ooh. There’s plenty of reasons Australian singer, songwriter, actress and breast cancer advocate Newton-John deserves a knighthood.

Olivia Newton-John with Tony Abbott. Photo: AAP

Dawn Fraser: Why wouldn’t Mr Abbott want to nominate Australian’s greatest Olympian, Dawn Fraser, for knighthood? “Dawnie” is the epitome of a good old Aussie larrikin, and has done bucketloads for the sport of swimming in Australia.

Australian Olympic swimming great Dawn Fraser shows her support for the women’s beach volleyballers at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Photo: AAP.

Ian Frazer: Professor Ian Frazer is best known for being a clinical immunologist and inventing the cervical cancer vaccine. Now he’s working on new treatments for cervical cancer and herpes simplex. Frazer was awarded Australian of the Year in 2006.

Professor Ian Frazer at work in a bio medical laboratory at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. Photo: Getty

If Mr Abbott really wanted controversy, we humbly suggest these options

Gina Rinehart: Mr Abbott could have chosen Australian mining heiress, and chairman of Hancock Prospecting group, Gina Rinehart, to be knighted. Rinehart was named the world’s richest woman by BRW in 2012. She’s a resolute supporter of the conservative side of politics.

Mining magnate Gina Rinehart. Photo: AAP

Rupert Murdoch: On Tuesday, it appears Murdoch may have tainted his chances of becoming knighted, calling Mr Abbott’s decision to nominate Prince Philip “a joke and embarrassment”. Some might think Murdoch was just acting out because he wasn’t chosen by his old mate.

Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch condemns the PM’s knighthood decision. Photo: AAP

Bronwyn Bishop: We wonder what would happen if the 29th Speaker of the House of Representatives Bronwyn Bishop was knighted? Bishop’s recent behaviour in the chamber has been raising eyebrows. She’s been a tough cookie while in the hot seat, booting out MPs on nearly 200 occasions – almost all of them Labor.

Tony Abbott (l) and Education Minister Christopher Pyne assist the Speaker of the House Bronwyn Bishop to her chair. Photo: AAP

Andrew Bolt: Considering Herald Sun columnist Andrew Bolt has been in hot water for racial vilification in relation to columns he wrote, we think voting for him to be knighted would spark all manner of controversy.

Herald Sun columnist Andrew Bolt leaves the Federal Court in Melbourne in 2011. Bolt faced racial vilification charges following articles he wrote on racial identity of Aboriginal people in 2009. Photo: AAP

The Pope: One of Mr Abbott’s spirit guides. Although Pope Francis is proving a more progressive Pontiff than his predecessors.

Pope Francis leads the vespers, at the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the walls in Rome. Photo: AAP