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Ridiculed: Tony Abbott. Photo: Andrew Meares

The Australian Republican Movement has welcomed Tony Abbott's reintroduction of knighthoods and damehoods saying it has re-invigorated the republican cause and prompted a membership spike.

The bizarre outcome was among the unintended consequences of Tuesday afternoon's surprise announcement, which saw the Abbott government subjected to ridicule in Parliament, newspapers and talkback radio, and across social media.

Speaking at the National Press Club, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten asked if the country was in a time warp, noting that not even John Howard had revived the British titles in his almost 12 years as prime minister.

With the Prime Minister on the defensive in Parliament, Labor used the announcement to claim the government's priorities were wrong. Privately some ministers expressed incredulity that Mr Abbott had taken such an approach without recourse to the cabinet or party room.

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David Morris, national director of the Australian Republican Movement, said Mr Abbott's announcement had reframed debate from the ''celebrity monarchy'' to pride in Australia's national institutions.

''Mr Abbott's words and actions have given us a big shot in the arm,'' Mr Morris said. ''We won't get a republic while Tony Abbott is Prime Minister but he may help us get there.''

Mr Morris said membership had been growing strongly since Mr Abbott swore allegiance to the Queen when he became Prime Minister, after dropping away over recent years. Financial membership remained in the thousands, rather than the tens of thousands at the peak of the republican debate in the late '90s.

''If we can sustain the current interest we'll be back and back in a big way,'' he said.

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PM's honours moves revives republican movement numbers