The Australian PM Tony Abbott has used the country’s national day to announce a knighthood for the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip.
The BBC report
Mr Abbott, who reintroduced the honour last year, said the Prince had lived a “long life of service and dedication”.
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Opposition politicians described the decision as out-of-step with the times.
The leader of the opposition Labor party, Bill Shorten, said it was “anachronistic” to give the top award to a British royal on Australia Day.
He told Fairfax radio he thought the news was a joke at first, adding: “Why would we give him our top Australian honour? He’s already got a lot of them.”
Niamh Harris
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