SHOULD the Lord’s Prayer be recited at the start of each parliamentary day?
It’s a tradition followed in Queensland’s single-chamber Legislative Assembly with the Speaker leading the prayer. Some MPs join in, while others choose not to participate at all.
It’s the same in parliaments in other states, and in Canberra, but there is a new fight to have the Lord’s Prayer removed.
More than 400 people have signed an E- petition put forward by Sunshine Coast man Tony Magrathea and tabled in Queensland Parliament calling for an end to religious prayers at the start of parliamentary business.
Mr Magrathea’s petition argues prayers are “contrary to the spirit” of the Australian Constitution and breach section 116.
He says section 116 precludes the Commonwealth “from making laws for establishing any religion, imposing any religious observance, or prohibiting the free exercise of any religion.“
“Section 116 also provides that no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth. Prayers at the commencement of each sitting day are contrary to the spirit embodied in s116,” Mr Marathea wrote.
In a counter E-petition put forward by the Australian Christian Lobby’s state director, Wendy Francis, argues prayers should be retained in the House.
She claims prayers as “a right and proper acknowledgement of Australia’s legal and cultural heritage which has been decisively shaped by a Christian ethos that continues to foster our free and prosperous democracy.”
“The practice of saying prayers is a longstanding and non-partisan tradition which re-affirms parliamentarians’ commitment to the common good of Australia,” Ms Francis’ petition states.
“Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to continue the tradition of opening parliament with the saying of a Christian prayer, and not order this to cease.”
Ms Francis’ E-petition, can be signed here until June 15.
This is not a new battle in Queensland.
Last year Mr Magrathea lodged a similar petition aimed at removing prayers from the state’s Assembly and also and at city and regional council meetings.
Nothing came of it. A letter from the Premier neatly explained that the practice is a matter for the Speaker to consider in the first instance.
Ms Francis raised more than 6000 signatures when she responded with a petition in support of parliamentary prayer.
“Encouragingly, each time this issue is raised, the response from Queensland citizens and political leaders remains overwhelmingly in favour of maintaining the practice of praying in parliament and council meetings,” Ms Francis said.
“Both the Queensland Premier and Opposition Leader have publicly supported maintaining the practice of prayer before parliamentary sittings.
“Australia was founded with the principle of separation of church and state but it was never intended to keep religious ideas, people or prayers out of public life.”
