Because the Victorian parliament returns for 2023, MPs will as soon as once more rise to listen to the Lord’s Prayer no matter their non secular beliefs.
However days seem numbered for the long-standing custom.
The Andrews Labor authorities made an election promise to workshop a alternative for the Lord’s Prayer in the beginning of this time period.
The dedication was brokered after crossbencher Fiona Patten pitched a movement in 2021 to switch the prayer within the higher home with a second of silent reflection, a transfer backed by some non secular figures.
Ms Patten, an atheist, misplaced her higher home seat however has initiated a petition to encourage individuals to put in writing to Premier Daniel Andrews and Legal professional-Normal Jaclyn Symes to honor their promise.
Greater than 20 native councilors final week despatched a letter to the Victorian Equal Alternative and Human Rights Fee, Mr Andrews and different ministers calling for guidelines to forestall councils from beginning conferences with single-faith prayers.
Ms Patten, who’s working with the Legalize Hashish Occasion’s newly elected higher home MPs, stated the crossbench is but to start talks with the federal government on a alternative mannequin or timeline for its implementation.
“I believe that now with the petition and the (councillors’) letter that this can provoke these conversations,” she advised AAP.
Each homes of Victoria’s parliament have opened every sitting day with the Lord’s Prayer since 1918, nevertheless it has been recited alongside an Acknowledgment of Nation in recent times.
The ACT decrease home changed the Christian prayer with an invite to wish or mirror in 1995.
“A second of silence within the chambers earlier than they flip into the bear pits … would really be fairly useful in setting the scene,” stated Ms Patten, who famous there are greater than 148 religions throughout Victoria.
The 2021 Census highlighted Australia is turning into extra religiously numerous, with 10 per cent of Australians following a religion apart from Christianity – up from 8.2 per cent in 2016.
Nearly as many Australians don’t have any non secular affiliation (38.9 per cent) as those that determine as Christian (43.9 per cent), and the proportion of Victorians with no non secular affiliation (39.three per cent) is larger than the nationwide common.
Deputy Victorian Greens Chief Ellen Sandall stated it is astonishing the Lord’s Prayer stays a fixture of each homes every day, and can introduce a movement for the decrease home to ditch it when parliament returns on Tuesday.
“Our parliament ought to mirror the range of your complete Victorian group, not simply these of 1 explicit religion,” she stated.
A Victorian authorities spokeswoman stated: “There are a selection of parliamentary committees that take into account potential adjustments to the parliament’s sessional orders that mirror the demographics and priorities of Victorians.”
The state opposition has been approached for remark.
-AAP
