FIONA PATTEN | LEADER OF THE REASON PARTY
Let us pray. Or not. Everybody has the right to religious faith. Nobody has the right to impose their religious faith. No religion has a spiritual or moral monopoly.
With freedom of religion comes the responsibility to respect others’ freedom to follow another god, or none. And politicians should reflect and respect the communities they serve. It’s time for a fair go for religion.
So, I am seeking to replace – not remove – the Lord’s Prayer from the start of parliamentary sitting days by allowing people of any faith, or none, to pray. I am moving a motion to simply have the President of the Legislative Council open the day by instructing “Members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of Victoria”. I want to protect freedom of religion and liberty in the broad.
A reasonable way, one in line with the democratic cornerstone of the separation of church and state, is to maintain the ability of Christian MPs to observe the sanctity of the Lord’s Prayer while at the same moment allowing non-Christian MPs to focus on their religious beliefs or on the venerated job of exercising legislative power. Starting the parliamentary day with a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer has become divisive and disrespectful. The people’s parliament should be driven by the people’s interests.
When the reading of a version of the Lord’s Prayer was adopted more than a century ago, nine in 10 people living in Australia professed to be Christian. Today, that has declined to about half. The 2016 census recorded more than 100 different religious affiliations in Australia. And we are secular; almost one in three profess to have no religion, the biggest single category identified in the last census.
The motion protects religion. When last this was discussed, in 2019, the Liberal Party opposed the notion, citing “tradition’’ and “respect for the rights of each and every individual’’.
Yet one of the chamber’s prominent Liberal members posted this on his website: “At a time when the Victorian community needs to come together as never before, Satan’s Little Helper, Fiona Patten, has announced she will move a motion to remove the Lord’s Prayer for the start of each parliamentary sitting day. I have had more than enough of her hate campaign against Christianity. Time to draw a line in the sand! Are you with me??’’ The government appears more open to the change.
In 2019, Premier Dan Andrews said: “If it were a multi-faith moment if you like, at the beginning of the parliament day, perhaps that would be more reflective of what modern Victoria looks like.’’
Think, if you will, of some of the traditions we’ve shed in the name of civil society. The male monopolisation of suffrage. A woman’s place is in the bedroom and the kitchen. corporal punishment of children. Having God Save the Queen as our national anthem. And so on.
The motion is a modest declaration for the freedom to worship. It disadvantages no one, makes space for all. It is an opportunity to honour principles that ought to guide every member of parliament – fairness and freedom.
