With the Prime Minister on the defensive in Parliament, Labor used the announcement to claim the government's priorities were wrong. Illustration: Rocco Fazzari Privately some ministers expressed incredulity that Mr Abbott had taken such an approach without recourse to either the cabinet or the party room. David Morris, national director of the Australian Republican Movement, said the Prime Minister's announcement had reframed debate from the ''celebrity monarchy'' to pride in Australia's national institutions. ''Mr Abbott's words and actions have given us a big shot in the arm,'' Mr Morris said.

''We won't get a republic while Tony Abbott is Prime Minister but he may help us get there.'' Mr Morris said membership had been growing strongly since Mr Abbott swore allegiance to the Queen when he became Prime Minister after dropping away over recent years. But David Flint, national convenor of Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy, said the announcement was another triumph for the monarchist movement following the birth of Prince George last year. A ReachTEL poll of more than 2000 Australians, conducted for Fairfax Media in February, found only 39.4 per cent of the population supports a republic - the lowest level in 20 years. The poll found only 35.6 per cent of 18- to 35-year-olds support the republic. Mr Abbott confirmed on Wednesday he did not take his decision to cabinet or the Liberal party room. Liberal Senator Sue Boyce, a republican, said she was disappointed Mr Abbott had not taken the decision to the party room.

''I just would have hoped that we could go on with what are clearly well-accepted Australian honours,'' she said. ''I know that knights and dames are in the Australian honours system but we stopped using it in 1986 and I think that was a good move.'' Senator Boyce said she was disappointed outgoing Governor-General Quentin Bryce had accepted a damehood, but acknowledged most of her colleagues supported the move or were not perturbed. Nationals Senator Ron Boswell said he was ''nervous'' about the decision because it could ''devalue'' existing honours. Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a former chairman of the Australian Republican Movement, wrote in a blog on Tuesday that republicans should not ''lose sleep'' over the changes. Loading

A spokesman for the Prime Minister confirmed Mr Abbott is considering reintroducing other imperial honours such as the Commonwealth Victoria Cross if the military supports it. Follow us on Twitter