Why does Helen Clark want to sell our heroes short
John Carter MP for Northland
22 March 2000
Why does Helen Clark want to sell our heroes short?
Northland MP John Carter has called for a sensible, rational debate on the honours system in the wake of the Prime Minister's personal view that we should scrap knight and damehoods.
"The Prime Minister has demonstrated a pathological dislike for the monarchy and anything British. I wonder if she will be consistent and do away with her own British title - Rt Hon?
"She proposes to have Principal Companions of the NZ Order of Merit, PCNZM, in place of knight and damehoods. PCNZM sounds like an award for political correctness rather than an honour to be bestowed on some of our highest achievers.
"Miss Clark is developing a reputation for making policy on the hoof. I hope she will allow New Zealanders to debate the honours system before she takes an internationally recognisable honour away from our heroes," Mr Carter said.
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