Tony Abbott says the Duke of Edinburgh has served Australia with distinction throughout the Queen’s reign

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, and the former Defence Force chief Angus Houston have been named as knights in the Australia Day honours.

In a statement issued on Monday, Tony Abbott said the Queen had accepted his recommendation that Prince Philip and Houston “be awarded Australia’s highest honour as Knights of the Order of Australia”.



The prime minister said Prince Philip was receiving the honour to recognise his contribution to Australia over the course of the Queen’s 62-year reign.



“Prince Philip’s long life of service and dedication should be honoured by Australia,” Abbott said.



“For three quarters of a century, Prince Philip has served the Crown, and the wider Commonwealth.



“He has served Australia with distinction and is patron of over 800 organisations.”



He said the the Duke of Edinburgh Award in Australia had “supported the development of young Australians for more than 50 years”.



But the appointment was met with derision in some quarters.

The opposition Labor leader Bill Shorten said: “It’s a time warp where we’re giving knighthoods to English royalty. Some people (have) wondered whether it was an Australia Day hoax.”

As the country marked Australia Day with citizenship awards, honours and a number of Indigenous protests on “invasion day”, the prime minister’s announcement caused some in the government ranks to question his political judgment.

Adam Giles, Northern Territory chief minister and Country Liberal party leader, said: “It makes us a bit of a joke. It’s Australia Day, we’re not a bunch of tossers.”

When Abbott unexpectedly announced the reinstatement of knights and dames in Australia’s honours system last year, he said the intention was to recognise “pre-eminent Australians”. But the formal document confirming the change made clear that the honour could also be bestowed on non-Australians.

Abbott said Houston’s knighthood was to recognise his “extraordinary and pre-eminent achievement and merit in service to Australia over many years”.



Abbott praised Houston, who served in the armed forces for more than 40 years, rising to become chief of Air Force in 2001 and chief of the Defence Force in 2005.



He was made an officer of the Order of Australia in 2003 and a companion of the order in 2008.



Since retiring from the military in 2011, he has worked as chairman of the Anzac Centenary Advisory Board, chairman of Airservices Australia and chairman of the Council for the Order of Australia.



“Successive governments have relied on Sir Angus’s wisdom, judgment and character,” Abbott said.



“Throughout his life, Sir Angus has put Australia first.



“He immigrated to Australia as an adult, he chose Australia and we are much the better for it.”