Australian PM Tony Abbott tries to make amends for Prince Philip knighting and policy blunders

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, facing down a revolt from within his own government ranks, promised yesterday he would never again choose who gets an Australian knighthood and officially ditched his unpopular parental leave policy.

Abbott, whose plunging popularity has pushed his government to the brink of crisis, used a speech to the National Press Club to assure the nation and disgruntled members of his own administration that he was determined to lead "the most consultative and the most collegial government this country has ever seen".

After angering many within government ranks last week by making the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, an Australian knight, Abbott said that the Order of Australia Council would decide from now on who was made a knight or dame.

Abbott, who took power after winning an election in 2013, was widely criticised for resurrecting the titles a year ago. Bestowing a knighthood on the 93-year-old Duke of Edinburgh on Australia's national day was seen as an insult to deserving Australian citizens.

"I accept that I probably overdid it on awards," Abbott said.

He also ditched his unpopular policy to pay women who earn up to A$100,000 (HK$602,000) a year the equivalent of their full salary for six months of maternity leave. The plan, which Abbott has described as his signature policy, was widely seen as middle-class welfare and unfair to the poor. It had virtually no support within the government.

Abbott described both reintroducing knighthoods and the paid parental leave policy as "captain's calls", an Australian term that refers to a team captain using a prerogative to make decisions regardless of teammates' opinions. "They are two captain's calls that I have made. But I have listened. I have learned and I have acted," he said.