Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has sought to steer the public debate away from the prime minister’s controversial decision to knight the Duke of Edinburgh and back to the economy.

Senator Cormann says the government is confident 2015 will be a good year for Australia, following significant progress in 2014 towards a more prosperous economy, more jobs and repairing the budget.

“Obviously my focus now is on the work we are doing to build a stronger, more prosperous economy,” he told ABC radio.

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Senator Cormann said the knighthood decision was made by the prime minister.

“I was not personally consulted.”

In an Australia Day announcement, Mr Abbott conferred knighthoods on the Duke of Edinburgh and former Defence chief Angus Houston.

The decision to honour the Queen’s husband prompted a scathing response, including from some on his own side.

Senator Cormann said other commentators around Australia would express their views but he just wanted to get on with the job.

“From my point of view, I’ve got a job to do, the government has got a job to do and we are focused on doing a job that needs to be done to put Australia on a stronger foundation for the future,” he said.

Senator Cormann said he disagreed that there were growing concerns about Mr Abbott’s leadership.

“The prime minister has got the strong support of his party room. The prime minister has done an outstanding job for Australia,” he said.

For an otherwise positive Australia Day, much commentary on the knighthood was scathing.

The Brisbane Courier-Mail front page was dated Tuesday, January 27, 1955, with the year crossed out and replaced with 2015. The headline reads: “Jolly Odd Show.”

Queensland Liberal MP Ewen Jones said he backed knighthoods for Governors-General but no one else – although Mr Abbott was entitled to exercise his captain’s pick .

“I thought of all the things we could do on Australia Day – Townsville citizen of the year was a 50 year volunteer at the girl guides. There’s a lot more for Australia that she’s done than Prince Philip,” he told ABC radio.

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon said Prince Philip already had every title under the sun.

“I reckon the prime minister is pushing his luck with his backbenchers on this one.”

Assistant Immigration Minister Michaelia Cash said Australia Day was a day of celebration for her and many other Australians.

“I also celebrated the fact that we have two new knights and I think both of them are extremely deserving,” she told ABC radio.

“The backlash will be the backlash. Some people don’t agree with the decision.”

Senator Cash said Mr Abbott was very honest in acknowledging that this was his choice.

“For me, it’s a small distraction in what the bigger picture is,” she said.

Defence Minister Kevin Andrews said many Australians had received awards from overseas governments.

“This is a man who has performed public service for six decades now,” Mr Andrews said of Prince Philip on ABC radio on Tuesday.

“He’s contributed in a very real way.”

Mr Andrews said Mr Abbott was doing a great job under difficult circumstances, and he had no doubt Mr Abbott would be the prime minister to take the party to the next election.

Victorian opposition leader, the coalition’s Matthew Guy, said he wouldn’t criticise Mr Abbott but felt imperial honours were “a feature of the past”.

Veterans Affairs Minister Michael Ronaldson declined to comment on the knighthood decision, but backed Mr Abbott’s leadership.

“The prime minister has the full confidence of the party and he will remain the prime minister,” Senator Ronaldson said.

Former Howard government minister Peter Reith told Sky News he was “amazed” at the decision.

“He’s certainly given himself a real headache here,” Mr Reith said of the prime minister.

Greens leader Christine Milne said it was a “ridiculous distraction” from the appointment of domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty as Australian of the Year and an example of “cultural cringe”.

“It is so embarrassing for Australia,” Senator Milne said.

“Time magazine has been out there laughing at us, saying Australians have knighted the Queen’s husband. How silly do we look?”