Reinstated Honours bring meaning back to Excellence

"The Government is making these changes because it believes reinstatement of knighthoods and damehoods are a visible sign of celebrating success for a lifetime of service and achievement." John Key, NZ Prime Minister March 8 2009

While some recipients of honours do not arguably deserve a title, the one that did exist under the previous Labour Government was incomprehensible and therefore meaningless.

Removing Knighthoods from the New Zealand honours scheme was one of the first things that Labour did when elected almost 10 years ago and replaced by something that didn't place due importance on the recipients. It was an ideological move designed to make winners more like everyone else.

Sirs and Dames celebrate excellence, Labour's honours system acknowledged nothing.

Helen Clark must have had trouble sleeping last night and I couldn't be happier.

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c Political Animal 2009