I have a great belief in the honours system we have operating in Australia. It acknowledges worthy recipients for the enormous contribution they make to our society. 

I won’t be canvassing the merits of individual honours. There’s little value in dissecting why someone is more eligible than someone else. And for most of us, titles and awards are not a major focus, as we go about our lives.

The knighting of Prince Philip on Australia Day this year has served to highlight the great opportunities that the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme offers to young Australians. It has positively influenced the lives of hundreds of thousands of young Australians. I was lucky enough to be one of those people, and those experiences have had a big impact on my life.

The discussions most of us want to be having around the dinner table are less about merit awards and more about jobs for our young people, lower taxes and higher wages. These are the bedrock of a productive, prosperous community.  

It is our responsibility to bring Australians along with these plans in a positive, consultative way.  

This is the Government’s commitment in 2015.