Political editor Tory Shepherd grills Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi about Tony Abbott's surprise announcement of the new Australian honours system.

FOREIGNERS who provide distinguished service to Australia will be eligible for appointment as Knights and Dames of Australia, the government has now revealed.

The official paperwork reinstating knights and dames to the Australian honours system was quietly published in the Commonwealth Gazette today, when many Australians have already finished work ahead of the Easter long weekend and political attention is focused on NSW.

Letters Patent signed by the Queen show that the government will also be able to recognise the achievements of non-Australians by awarding them honorary knighthoods or damehoods.

This was not mentioned last month when Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced the return of the honours.

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Distinguished non-Australians are already eligible for honorary Australian awards.

Past recipients of the award Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia have included Japanese business leader Shigeo Nagano for service to trade and commerce.

The Queen officially approved amendments to the Constitution of the Order of Australia at the Court of St James on March 19 — six days before Mr Abbott announced the return of the honours.

The document was countersigned by Mr Abbott at “Her Majesty’s command.’’

The document sets out the criteria to be used to choose up to four Knights and Dames per year.

“Appointments as Knights or Dames, or honorary Knights or Dames, in the General Division shall be made for extraordinary and pre-eminent achievement and merit in service to Australia or to humanity at large.’’

It also says: “A distinguished person who is not an Australian citizen may be appointed as an honorary Knight and Dame in the General Division where it is desirable that the person be honoured by Australia.’’

Former governor-general Quentin Bryce was the first Dame under the new scheme and her successor Peter Cosgrove is the first knight.

The Queen must formally approve recommendations by the Prime Minister for new Knights or Dames to be appointed.

Labor has promised to scrap the process for appointing new Knights and Dames if it recaptures government.