Tony Abbott takes Prince Philip controversy 'on the chin', promises to consult more on future appointments
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has promised to consult more widely before awarding any future knighthoods.
Mr Abbott has responded to the uproar over his decision to award a knighthood to Prince Philip without consulting any of his colleagues.
Speaking to reporters in Melbourne, Mr Abbott said he stood by the decision but accepted that some people disagreed with the appointment.
"I accept it's been a contentious decision, I absolutely accept that. I absolutely respect people's rights to disagree with my call on this," he said.
"I respect their right to be critical, that's what you get in a democracy such as ours and I take it on the chin."
Mr Abbott said the decision was made for good reasons but he had learnt the lesson that there needed to be wider consultation about the awards in the future.
Before he made the appointment Mr Abbott said he consulted with the Governor-General and the chairman of the Order of Australia Council.
He confirmed he did not consult his chief of staff Peta Credlin.
"In the future, the consultation will be wider," he said.
Mr Abbott also responded to the reaction from senior ministers including Mathias Cormann and Joe Hockey, who distanced themselves from the knighthood.
"In the end this is my call and I'm happy to take these things on the chin," he said.
"I accept that this has been a distraction for the Government over the last couple of days. I do not want it further to distract, that's why we're cracking on with the important business of Government."
Some Queensland MPs are nervous about the impact of the furore on Saturday's state election after the Prime Minister was depicted on the front page of Brisbane's Courier-Mail as a court jester.
Opposition Finance Minister Penny Wong campaigning in Brisbane said Mr Abbott was "a bloke who doesn't listen, doesn't learn and just doesn't get it."
Rupert Murdoch calls for Peta Credlin to resign
The pledge to consult further comes after criticism from within Coalition ranks as well as from conservative commentators.
In a Twitter post, media mogul Rupert Murdoch called for Ms Credlin to "do her patriotic duty and resign".
In a later tweet, he said: "Forget fairness. This change only way to recover team work and achieve so much possible for Australia. Leading involves cruel choices."
Newspaper columnist Miranda Devine blamed Ms Credlin for the controversial knighthood decision. She told Channel Nine it was time for Ms Credlin to go.
"She's very good, she's very smart, very capable, but they've been together long enough and they need to shake it up," she said.
Education Minister Christopher Pyne dismissed that suggestion.
"I don't think there's any prospect of [Murdoch's] suggestion being pursued by the Government," he said.
"Peta Credlin and Tony Abbott have played a remarkable role in getting the Coalition into government after just two terms.
"We couldn't have done it without Peta Credlin."
Commercial radio broadcaster Alan Jones told Channel Seven the decision to award Prince Philip a knighthood had not gone down well in the community.
"I've been a long-time friend of Tony Abbott, I think everybody knows that," he said.
"I think he's entitled to a Prime Minister's call but if he makes a call he's got to be prepared to accept the censure that follows.
"Here's a bloke who's made a reputation in politics for being on the wavelength of people in the street and he just seems to have lost the touch."
Mr Abbott spoke to reporters after a meeting with the Australian of the Year Rosie Batty.
He announced the Federal Government would make domestic violence an agenda item at the next Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting.
The Prime Minister also announced the creation of an advisory panel on violence against women.
The panel's founding members will be Ms Batty and the retiring Victorian Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay.
Mr Abbott said he hoped to have a national agreement on domestic violence in place by the end of the year.
