AUSTRALIAN entrepreneur Dick Smith says he is considering running against Tony Abbott at the next federal election.

The self-made businessman who was today awarded one of the nation’s highest honours — appointed a companion (AC) of the Order of Australia — said there was much he wanted to achieve in aviation reforms.

Mr Smith said governments needed to realise they were accountable to promises made and so his eyes were on the Prime Minister’s northern Sydney electorate of Warringah.

“I am thinking of having a go in Tony Abbott’s seat, mainly to communicate that when you’re a government and you say you are going to do things you have to do them,” Mr Smith told ABC radio.

Mr Smith, who was awarded the 1986 Australian of the Year award, also raised concerns over the current debate around stripping citizenship from those suspected of terrorism activity.

“I think we’ve gone a bit berserk,” Mr Smith said.

He said the number of people who would die from terrorism activity was much less than those who would die in a car accident and so the issue needed to be deflated.

Mr Smith was today among the 717 Australians on this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours list for his service to the community through a range of not-for-profit and conservation organisations.

He said he was incredibly proud to receive the honour, especially given the fact he was considered “dumb” at school.

“When I was at school I was terribly hopeless ... I thought I would get nowhere,” Mr Smith said.

“So to get this award ... it gives an example that in Australia you can do wondrous things because it is a wonderful country.”

Mr Smith also weighed into the same-sex marriage debate and called for an end to the “pathetic political strutting” on the issue.

“I just turn off with the pathetic political strutting,” Mr Smith said.

“I wish the prime minister would just do it. Show some leadership and get on with it.”