Titles are back

The Labour abolished titles for our top , with pretty much no consultation.

National had indicated for some time it was likely to reverse this, and today they have done so.

Like Dean Knight, I'm a staunch Republican, but also a supporter of our top honours having titles. It makes them more meaningful. We see this in academia also where the top staff get a title of Professor, and top students can get the title of Doctor for a PhD.

The top two levels of the NZ Order of Merit will revert to their old titles of Knight and Dame Grand Companion (GNZM) and Knight and Dame Companion (KNZM/DNZM). They had been changed to Principal Companion and Dinstinguished Companion.

The 85 NZers got one of those titles in the last few years have the option of accepting a title. It is up to them.

Interestingly is not resuming the practice of recommending top Judges and Ministers to the Privy Council, which gets the person a Rt Hon. This means he will never be the Rt Hon John Key. The last Prime not to be a Rt Hon was Sir Thomas Mackenzie who served from March until July 1912 only.

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