PM: Queen's honours not a 'boys' club'

Prime Minister John Key. Photo / Jane Ussher

The Prime Minister has rejected the suggestion the Queen's Birthday honours were a boys' club.

Two women were made Dames, compared to seven men receiving Knighthoods.

John Key says there's been an improvement in the gender balance.

"We also have to make sure that those honours absolutely reflect someone that's worthy of what they're getting and we wouldn't want to put someone up just simply for the sake of the fact that they're a woman as opposed to a man."

- Newstalk ZB