Divisive former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is facing calls to hand back the nation’s highest honour, with his King’s Birthday gong reigniting debate about whether politicians should be rewarded just for doing their jobs.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese distanced himself from the decision to appoint Mr Andrews as a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), despite the state Labor leader’s chequered legacy on managing the COVID-19 pandemic and saddling Victorian taxpayers with soaring debt, in part because of a huge infrastructure program.