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Michelle Grattan is one of Australia's most respected political journalists. She has been a member of the Canberra parliamentary press gallery for more than 40 years, during which time she has covered all the most significant stories in Australian politics. As a former editor of The Canberra Times, Michelle Grattan was also the first female editor of an Australian daily newspaper. She has been with the Australian Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald and Political Editor of The Age since 2004. Michelle currently has a dual role with an academic position at the University of Canberra and as Associate Editor (Politics) and Chief Political Correspondent at The Conversation.

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The vote to revoke the Order of Australia given to Bettina Arndt has passed the Senate by a measure of 55-2.

The Coalition government has supported Labor’s motion in the Senate to call for men’s rights activist Bettina Arndt to be stripped of her Order of Australia award over her comments on last week’s horrendous murder-suicide in Brisbane.

The successful motion puts more pressure on the Council for the Order of Australia to remove the AM Arndt received in the Australia Day honours.

The Senate motion was carried 55-2, with only One Nation’s Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts voting against it.

It said Arndt’s comments “are reckless and abhorrent”.

“The values that underpin Ms. Arndt’s views on this horrific family violence incident are not consistent with her retaining her Order of Australia,” it said.

A public furore arose after Arndt tweeted her support of remarks by a Queensland policeman (which he later apologised for) suggesting police were keeping an “open mind” into the Brisbane killings.

The Senate motion was carried 55-2, with only One Nation’s Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts voting against it.

Hannah Clarke and her three children were in a car when her estranged husband, Rowan Baxter, set them on fire. He then killed himself. The children died at the scene; Clarke died later in hospital.

Arndt tweeted, “Congratulations to the Queensland police for keeping an open mind and awaiting proper evidence, including the possibility that Rowan Baxter might have been ‘driven too far.’”

The Senate said Arndt’s statement “has the potential to bring the Order of Australia, instituted by Her Majesty The Queen, into disrepute.

“Order of Australia awards are a privilege and an honour and come with responsibilities.”

Arndt received the award “for significant service to the community as a social commentator, and to gender equity through advocacy for men”.

Labor’s deputy leader in the Senate, Kristina Keneally, made it clear the motion was making no condemnation of the Queensland police.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.