Great article in today’s SMH by Tony Wright on The Lord Abbotts announcement that he was winding back the clock into the last century, what else is new, and restoring Australia’s Bunyip Aristocracy. Something I thought had gone out with spats and straw hats, not so. With the first recipients of the new gongs being the old GG and the new GG, the Queen will be honored. I’m sure Tony has a few Liberal mates in mind for a future gift of one of his prestigious little ball bells. I found it laughable when Sir David Flint the arch monarchist came out supporting the new deal and referred to Dame Nellie Melba and Sir John Monash as previous recipients, nothing like keeping up with the times. All no doubt in the true tradition of Sir Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/tony-abbotts-bunyip-aristocracy-arise-lord-clive-and-lady-gina-20140325-35g7i.html

It's rather strange to hear Paul whine-on about a few awards because they might carry associations with old England and thereby,
somehow,besmirch Australian identity.

I mean,it's not as if Paul is ever likely to be faced with a dilemma of deciding whether to accept or reject the offer of any of
those awards.

And --this is where the strangeness comes in -- Paul is a diehard supported of the Greens --a party which, has:
--A founding father [Bob Brown] who wanted to submit us to a (one
person one vote) world govt.
-- A senator [Lee Rhiannon] who belonged to the Stalinist Socialist Party of Australia which wanted to make us subservient to Moscow.
--A NSW MLC [Mehreen Faruqi] (a good Muslim) who according to Keysar Trad [PBUH] (the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia) if she supported the Green platform would be "directly in conflict with the teachings of Islam"

Damn! I posted before I was ready.

I wanted to add:

And, another senator [Sarah Hanson Young] who'd throw our borders open to all and sundry who wanted to boat in.

And let's not forget Multiculturalism (which for the Greens means anything from overseas [at the least the non-English speaking parts of overseas] is better than anything Oz-born)

I mean, if you find no-probs with any of the above, why oh why would be worried about a few awards!

I have two words.

WHO CARES!

I believe that is Abbott showing his true colours. His allegiance is not with Australia. I take it to be another downgrading of women. Surely you don't have award to be a lady. That sort of aristocratic crap does not belong in Au.

Unless there is information to the contrary, 579...

"I take it to be another downgrading of women. Surely you don't have award to be a lady."

it could be argued to be a downgrading of men.

Traditionally the spouse of a Dame receives no honorary title, so Dame Quentin Bryce's husband remains a mere Mr. Michael Bryce whilst Sir Peter Cosgrove will be married to Lady Lynne.

In this era of anti-discrimination one solution would be to introduce equal titular treatment of honorariums and Dame Quentin would then be married to Gentleman Michael.

[I wonder if The Queen even imagines what her predecessor-namesake (numero uno) would think about the last and present Govenors-General both being Roman Catholic?]

Personally, I don't think the re-introduction goes far enough and in addition to the chivalric ranks there should also be a nobility one reserved solely for politicians... that of Count. Instead of a 'county' their title would encompass their electorate, eg. the Count of Griffith or the Count of Bennelong.

This provides for hours of fun since the differences in the size of these federal divisions would allow us the opportunity to argue who is the biggest Count.