Female MPs who refuse to curtsy before NSW Governor David Hurley have "bad manners", Christian Democratic MP Fred Nile says, reigniting a long-running battle between royalists and republicans in the nation's oldest parliament.

Mr Nile, a staunch monarchist, was responding to left wing Labor MP Paul Lynch who questioned the strength of support for the British royals among conservative politicians and said asking MPs to bow or curtsy before the Governor is "imperialist nonsense".

The Reverend Fred Nile has scrapped his demand that electricity workers receive a special payment when the power businesses are leased to the private sector. Credit:Daniel Munoz

Curtsies and court bows may sound like the trappings of a 17th century British royal court, but they formed part of the opening of the new session of NSW Parliament last month.

A memorandum sent to lower house MPs before the ceremony said members could deport themselves before Mr Hurley in one of three ways.