Abbott’s knighthood call: Peter Dutton defends PM as Coalition angst grows

IMMIGRATION Minister Peter Dutton has defended Tony Abbott arguing his knighthood decision demonstrates his affection for the monarchy.

PRINCE Philip’s knighthood demonstrates Tony Abbott’s “very strong” affection for the monarchy, although “not all Australians will agree with or understand” the decision, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has conceded.

Mr Abbott’s cabinet colleagues are staggered at the political damage and distraction caused by his appointment of Prince Philip as a knight of Australia just as he is seeking calm within the Coalition.

Even Mr Abbott’s supporters are concerned at his apparent lack of awareness of the political damage of his decision and the immediate backlash against the government.

Amid rising backbench anger at the apparent lapse in political judgment, Mr Dutton explained the decision as an expression of Mr Abbott’s “strong conviction” and “decisive nature”.

“He feels very strongly about … not just keeping Australians safe, but the monarchy as well and he’s made a call there that not all Australians will agree with or understand,” the Immigration Minister told 3AW.

Tony Abbott attends the Australia Day Citizenship ceremony in Canberra.

Asked if he supported the decision, Mr Dutton said: “It’s a call that the Prime Minister has made.

“It’s a good quality in people to have passion and to really fight and strongly stand by what you believe and say your convictions and I think that’s what we see in the Prime Minister.”

Peter Reith, a former Howard government minister and frontbench colleague of Mr Abbott, cautioned the Prime Minister against abusing his “captain’s picks”.

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“Tony’s just gone off on a tangent on his own and unfortunately he’s done that before. He keeps saying ‘I’ll be better in the future’ but … people get a level of resentment over time,” he told Sky News.

“Tony needs to be building support from his colleagues not putting them off from this sort of stunt.

“Tony sees that he is entitled to the captain’s pick. Now there are some circumstances where that happens but quite frankly not often.”

Liberal MP Warren Entsch urged a “significant change in leadership” from Mr Abbott — but not a change in leader — saying the ­appointment had exposed a lack of judgment.

“I don’t think it was a smart call and I am not going to pretend to endorse it,” he told The Australian.

“It’s entirely up to the PM, it’s his call, they’re his lords and ladies.

“I just think we have other Australians that are equally up there in relation to service to this wonderful country; I have a dozen people in my electorate that would be infinitely more worthy.”

When Mr Abbott reinstated knights and dames last year, he said that the honours would be reserved for Australians of “extraordinary and pre-eminent achievement and merit”.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann declined to pass judgment on Mr Abbott’s decision, but played down concerns about the Prime Minister’s leadership.

“I am not a commentator. It’s a decision that was made; it was a decision that was made by the Prime Minister,” Senator Cormann told ABC Radio.

“I don’t agree that there are growing concerns about the Prime Minister’s leadership. The Prime Minister has got the strong support of his party room. The Prime Minister’s done an outstanding job for Australia and as leader of the Liberal Party now for more than five years.”

Assistant Immigration Minister Michaelia Cash said the Duke of Cambridge was “extremely deserving” of the knighthood.

“The backlash will be the backlash. Some people don’t agree with the decision,” she told ABC Radio.

Bill Shorten yesterday described Mr Abbott’s decision as “anachronistic” and questioned the government’s priorities.

“Today’s awarding of a knighthood to a member of the British royal family, I think, just shows we need to consider what sort of nation we want to present to the world in the 21st century — ­forward-looking or backward-looking,” the Opposition Leader said.

LNP senator Matt Canavan told Fairfax Media: “I’ve seen us kick more own goals over summer than I’ve seen in the Asian Cup”.