Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the decision to make Prince Philip a knight is anachronistic and Labor will not continue the coalition government's policy of imperial honours.
Giving a knighthood to an English royal on Australia Day was outside the mainstream of Australian thinking, Mr Shorten said.
The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, was named as one of Australia's next knights, along with Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said, in a statement on Monday, Prince Philip was receiving the honour to recognise his contribution to Australia over the course of the Queen's 62-year reign.
Mr Shorten said he didn't understand the government's priorities in nominating Prince Philip.
"It's a time warp where we're giving knighthoods to English royalty," Mr Shorten told Fairfax Radio.
"On Australia Day, we're talking about Australia, Australian identity, the government's managed to find a British royal to give a medal to, a knighthood to."
He said that if Labor were elected it would not continue the tradition of knights or dames.
"When we look at Australia in the 21st century, it's about who we're going to be as a people and I just think giving out a top award to a British royal is anachronistic," Mr Shorten told Fairfax Radio.
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