According to the press, former Prime Minister and MHR Tony Abbott would still like to reintroduce knights and dames at the top of our honours system if he could. Thankfully, he is highly unlikely to make a return to the federal parliament and these regressive views won’t help him in his quest in any event. Abbott has, however, recently been appointed to the board of the Australian War Memorial, prime protector of Anzackery and mateship as defining characteristics of our national identity. For more, click on the link to “‘Unrepentant’ Tony Abbott would still like return to knights, dames” by Samantha Maiden, The New Daily online 7 October 2019.
Woman for an Australian Republic, Adelaide Ironside, republican poet and artist 1831-1867
Self portrait 1855, Newcastle Art Gallery NSW
