Labor won't push for a republic: Plibersek

Labor still supports an Australian republic but won't push for it because it has more important issues to tackle, deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek says.

The debate about a republic resurfaced following Prime Minister Tony Abbott's decision to restore knights and dames to the Australian honours list.

Labor politicians have ridiculed the government for taking the nation backwards to an imperial past, making plenty of references to the TV series Game of Thrones.

Ms Plibersek said the decision was perplexing and odd, but wasn't something Australians were too concerned about.

An Australian republic was an important topic but not compared to those of job losses, education, health and infrastructure.

Ms Plibersek said she and her Labor colleagues still wanted a republic.

"I don't think there's a single Labor member of parliament who's not a republican," she told Sky News on Sunday.

"The question is do we throw ourselves on an issue that is not a huge one to the Australian public at the moment, or do we focus on the things that are our bread and butter."

The return to imperial honours has also led to an outpouring of support for the Australian Republican Movement.

The group's website almost crashed after the announcement as scores of people sought to sign up as members.