Knights and dames: Tony Abbott says he did not ask his Cabinet or party room before reinstating honours

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he did not seek the approval of his Cabinet or his party room before announcing his surprise decision to reinstate knights and dames honours in Australia.

Outgoing Governor-General Quentin Bryce is the first dame to be announced and her replacement Peter Cosgrove will be the first knight under the revived system.

Labor MPs are ridiculing the Prime Minister's decision as a "back to the future" step and the Prime Minister's own parliamentary secretary agrees it is not a "hot button issue" with voters.

Mr Abbott says he consulted some "senior colleagues" but not his backbench before making the announcement.

"I consulted with a number of senior colleagues.I took some soundings in the community but in the end it was my recommendation to the Queen which she graciously accepted," Mr Abbott told Fairfax Radio.

"I've had some amusing texts from a particular Cabinet minister."

In a blog post, the Liberals' most prominent republican in Cabinet, Malcolm Turnbull, says supporters of a republic should not lose too much sleep because of the announcement because many countries which have knighthoods are not constitutional monarchies.

Liberal MP Russell Broadbent says Mr Abbott did not take the idea to his colleagues despite the Government party room meeting yesterday morning.

"It's most interesting, it's quite a surprise... an interesting surprise," Mr Broadbent said on his way into Parliament.

The Prime Minister's parliamentary secretary Josh Frydenberg said Mr Abbott was not obliged to tell his colleagues first.

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Knights and dames: Tony Abbott says he did not ask his Cabinet or party room before reinstating honours