When I first read about Prince Philip’s new knighthood in a comment that auspicious morning of the announcement – without reference to any collaborating article, I thought it was Satire. Surely it couldn’t be true as I presumed even Abbott isn’t that crazy? Next thing it was in the Main Stream Media (MSM), and everyone is talking about it!! Did he really check with the Queen? No, I thought … Stupid question … his history suggests he wouldn’t have. He didn’t when he reintroduced the Knight and Dames awards in Australia so why would he now? The Palace tried to cover up for his lack of proper protocol last time so is it not reasonable to suggest, given their carefully considered response to the paper’s questions they are covering for him. Their thoughtful response, if what is the standard process (without actually saying that is what happened) followed by “We wouldn’t comment further on the process” says volumes, as it did last time. <sigh> Even his Liberal Colleagues thought it was crazy. If anything did more damage to his reputation than so many other things, this strangely was the “straw that broke the camel’s back”. Loyal adherents suddenly began questioning their loyalty to him. It was far from his worse decision yet; oddly it was a “Captain’s Call” of which even Murdock was critical. He swore he would be more consultative, more open, less likely to make a “Captain’s Call”. He fought off a subsequent spill motion over his non-consultative style and declared that “Good Government” started after that.
The only problem is that good government has yet to emerge.