Margaret Court to receive Australia Day honours, Andrews slams decision

PM says he has ‘no official knowledge’ of Australia Day honours process, as Andrews slams Court honour decision.

Margaret Court looks on during a Tennis Hall of Fame ceremony at last year’s Australian Open. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

Scott Morrison says he has “no official knowledge” of the Australia Day honours process, after reports emerged that former world no.1 tennis player Margaret Court would receive the nation’s highest award.

The news has sparked controversy due to Ms Court’s outspoken views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

“I can’t comment on an award that’s done through an independent process that hasn’t been announced or I have no official knowledge of those,” the Prime Minister said.

“This is a completely independent set of processes,” he said.

“It is an announcement that will be announced on that day. It is a system that recognises the full spectrum of individuals across this country.”

Anthony Albanese said the decision had “nothing to do with tennis.”

“Margaret Court has already been honoured for her tennis prowess,” the Opposition Leader tweeted.

“I think it’s clear for everyone to see that making her a Companion of the Order of Australia has nothing to do with tennis.”

Margaret Court has already been honoured for her tennis prowess.

She’s already an Officer of the Order of Australia.

I think it’s clear for everyone to see that making her a Companion of the Order of Australia has nothing to do with tennis.

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) January 22, 2021

Earlier, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews slammed the decision to honour her, saying he was “sick of talking about that person every summer”.

“I don’t give out those gongs, that’s not a matter for me, that’s for others, you might want to speak to them and ask why those views are disgraceful, hurtful and cost lives should be honoured,” he said.

He said the Victorian parliament has recently debated laws to outlaw conversion therapy which Mr Andrews described as “bigoted quackery that costs lives”.

He said the vast majority of Victorians do not support “that kind of hateful approach”.

“They want to see us unified, they want to see us respected and respectful and they want to see people able to live safely,” he said.

“No one has the right to take that away from anybody else and these views do that. They absolutely do. And this will come as no surprise to her, or to anyone else. It shouldn’t. This has been my view, every day of my public life.”

Details of those being honoured on Australia Day are traditionally issued under embargo to media outlets.

Margaret Court is going to be honoured on Australia Day. With our highest honour. She shouldn’t, and we need to have the debate before it happens.

Have a read. pic.twitter.com/hFsJ8UOXyz

— Justin Smith (@justinsmithword) January 21, 2021

But that embargo was broken this morning when broadcaster Justin Smith revealed Court’s honour on social media.

He said: “The debate that’ll follow after the 26th will be pointless and tedious.

“So let’s do it now.”

Greens Senator Janet Rice also slammed the decision, labelling Court an “enemy” of Australian values.

Reminder (because apparently we have to go over this every year): Margaret Court has said that being LGBTIQ+ is the work "of the devil". She’s compared homosexuality to Hitler.

She is an enemy of the values Australians stand for and must not receive our highest honour. https://t.co/ILpH6T3g5A

— Janet Rice (@janet_rice) January 22, 2021

“She’s compared homosexuality to Hitler,” Senator Rice said on Twitter.

“She is an enemy of the values Australians stand for and must not receive our highest honour.”

The Greens said the decision was a “slap in the face” for people harmed by her controversial views on homosexuality.

Greens acting leader Senator Nick McKim said the decision was a “ disgraceful insult” to people who had been harmed by her views.

“If these reports are true, Scott Morrison is trying to lock in January 26 as a day of division not celebration,” he said.

“Margaret Court has spent more of her life campaigning against marriage equality than she ever spent on the tennis courts. Regardless of how talented she may have been at the sport, time has moved on.”

Margaret Court in action at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in 1973. Picture: Evening Standard/Getty Images