Harris told give back Order of Australia

A Senate estimates committee has heard it's a well established practice to strip Order of Australia medals from people convicted of crimes and Rolf Harris' British awards are probably also under review.

The convicted child abuser's medals were officially terminated in a government gazette on Monday.

Mark Fraser, official secretary to Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, declined to specifically discuss the Harris case during a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday but said there was a well-established practice of taking honours away from criminals.

Mr Fraser said once the awards were terminated he wrote to the individual advising that he/she had been stripped of the honours and could no longer use the post-nominals or wear the insignia.

"They are asked to return the insignia to government house," he said.

Mr Fraser said Harris' CBE, MBE and OBE were matters for the UK government, which had a very similar system to Australia.

"I imagine that this matter would be under active review by them," he said.

Harris, 84, is now in jail in Britain after being convicted of molesting young girls in the UK between 1968 and 1986.