By NOEL MURPHY
GEELONG Mayor Darryn Lyons and union leader Tim Gooden have jousted over Prime Minister Tony Abbott bringing back knighthoods and other mediaeval titles – and neither party granted the other any quarter.
“I think Peter Cosgrove and Quentin Bryce are ideal choices. Sir Peter has been terrific and Dame Quentin has been an incredible governor-general,” Cr Lyons said.
“I don’t know why titles were turfed out in the first place. They’re not about being royal or republican, they’re about Australians doing great work for other Australians.
“A lot of titles in the British system in the past were based on wealth. I wouldn’t want them based on that in Australia but rather on outstanding services to the community.”
Cr Lyons questioned bestowing titles on business figures, celebrities or sport stars for their success alone, taking a swipe at Rolling Stone Mick Jagger, Beatle Paul McCartney and soccer’s title-seeker, David Beckham.
“David Beckham is desperate for a knighthood but I can’t see that kind of system in Australia. I think rules and regulations are extremely important. I don’t agree with titles that are based on wealth or someone’s five million twitter followers.
“I think they should be robust contributors and these two have provided great, robust service to country and community.”
Trades Hall’s Mr Gooden dismissed the resumption of titles as “a load of crap”.
“All it does is make out someone to be better than someone else,” he said.
“A knighthood makes you part of the elite, the ruling class, it projects that some people are better than others.
“I think Tony Abbott is doing two things: making a distraction from other laws he’s introducing and stamping conservatism on his whole agenda.”
