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Final bell tolls on knights, dames

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has abolished the traditional honours of knights and dames which caused so much embarrassment for his predecessor, Tony Abbott.

In a public rebuke to the former PM, Mr Turnbull said the honours were “anachronistic”, “a long way from being the most important issue in Australia today” and “did not reflect modern Australia”.

The old-style honours were reintroduced by former prime minister Tony Abbott in 2014 for “pre-eminent Australians” but became the subject of ongoing ridicule and controversy.

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Prince Philip

Prince Philip was a controversial recipient of a knighthood. Photo: Getty

“Awards in the Order of Australia are an important way of honouring the achievements and service of many Australians, including those unsung heroes who might not otherwise be recognised outside their local communities,” he said in a statement earlier on Monday.

“Knights and dames would no longer be appointed to the Order. This change will not affect existing knights and dames of the Order.”

Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen said the honours should never have been brought back in the first place.

“It was a farce, a joke, a national disgrace,” he told reporters in Sydney.

Greens Leader Richard Di Natale welcomed ditching the titles, but said Australians deserved more from the new Prime Minister.

“I’m pretty underwhelmed that Malcolm Turnbull’s first big break from Tony Abbott is on the matter of honorifics,” he said in a statement.

Mr Abbott shocked his own party when he brought back knights and dames in 2014 and was ridiculed as “out of touch”, but it was his decision to knight Prince Phillip on Australia Day this year which drew the greatest controversy.

Senior Libs support Turnbull

Mr Turnbull’s monarchist Liberal colleagues, including Alex Hawke and Mathias Cormann, agreed, saying everyone recognised the titles were inappropriate in 2015.

Cabinet minister Julie Bishop was also not mourning the dumping of the honours.

“I think the Australian people will agree with us,” she said.

The announcement is in stark contrast to the attitude of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who was the subject of widespread ridicule after he announced a desire to knight Prince Philip – the Queen’s husband.

The announcement was welcomed by the Australian Republican Movement, a group advocating for a move away from the British monarchy.

National director Tim Mayfield told The New Daily the government had “got this right” and that it was in line with Australian public opinion.

“We found it as bizarre as everyone else when Tony Abbott reintroduced them in 2014 and even more bizarre when compounded with the announcement of the knighting of Prince Philip this year,” he said.

“The honours – they say something about our country and reflect our context as a modern nation.

“There was nothing wrong with our honours system before Tony Abbott made this decision.”

Malcolm Turnbull can't put a foot wrong.

Malcolm Turnbull: righting the wrongs of his former boss. Photo: Getty

Creeping towards a republic

But Professor David Flint, an Australian monarchist leader, told Fairfax Media the abolition of the titles was disappointing but “to be expected”.

“It doesn’t surprise that me that first change in policy is on this issue and not on one of substance to the Australian people,” Professor Flint said.

“It’s obviously part of his plan to revenge 1999.”

He also told ABC radio: “This is a step towards that as part of the creeping republicanism which we see.”

Mr Mayfield called on Mr Turnbull to continue the move away from the monarchy and begin the republic debate.

“Clearly this taps into some sentiment in the Australian public and hit a raw nerve. What we would advocate for Malcolm Turnbull to do is to use this debate to have additional conversations about our identity, one of those is obviously the republic,” he said.

Since 2014, the honour was awarded to former governor general Quentin Bryce, former NSW governor Marie Bashir, former Defence Force head Angus Houston, Governor General Peter Cosgrove and Prince Phillip.

-with AAP, ABC

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