I am more than a little tired of the uproar

over the awarding of a Downunder knighthood to Prince Philip.
No, it wasn't a sensible thing for our Prime Minister to do - at least, not on his own. But...
(1) he would not have done it entirely on his own. There's a process to be gone through and this would have happened. Even the PM couldn't get around that. The Committee would have advised against it if they had thought it a bad idea. My guess is that they didn't think that.
(2) it is the media who are making a meal out of it. It is no secret that they want to be rid of the PM. (But I wonder why they want the likely alternative if they also want to be rid of the government.)
I personally think the PM was a fool to even suggest the award. He was unwise to re-introduce knighthoods into the honours system. Perhaps we shouldn't even have an honours system.
(3) but we do have an honours system. A previous Prime Minister used it to award another gong to Prince Charles. That did not cause the same uproar.
There are things which bother me about all of this. First of all, the media coverage has been rude. It has insulted a man who was in no position to refuse the honour which was offered to him. That man has worked hard - although many people are unable to recognise it. He is still working. His Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme - which I participated in - has been the saving of many kids.  So, get over it media. Keep your prejudices to yourselves.
But, there is something even more serious which bothers me. The other complaint by the media has been that this award took away the focus on the Australian of the Year - a woman who has experienced the worst sort of domestic violence and is trying to do something to help. Well yes, it did take the focus away from her - and the media did that. They are responsible. They chose to make a fuss about something else. They could have made a fuss about domestic violence instead. Instead there were even some rather nasty comments of the "well she might have been a victim but what does she know about policy" type.
Frankly I find that behaviour unforgiveable. The media and those who commented in support used a woman who lost a child because of domestic violence. They used her to undermine an elected government because, since before his election, the PM has been portrayed as a fool. They don't like government policies and they are determined to be rid of the government. It doesn't matter who they harm in the process.
I personally believe domestic violence is an issue of major importance. It is something people need to be much, much more aware of. Claiming that it is of less media importance than a somewhat foolish move on the part of the PM is the worst sort of opportunism. I can't respect the media or the commentators for that.