The Rationalist Society of Australia is calling on the Mackay Regional Council in Queensland to stop imposing Christian worship on councillors, staff and members of the public in attendance at its formal meetings.

The council, which boasts of fostering diversity and inclusion in its community, has not answered questions on why only Christian ministers recite prayers and sermons at the opening of its meetings.

Last week, the Mackay Regional Council’s mayor, Greg Williamson (pictured), failed to answer simple questions from the RSA as to whether his council had ever invited any non-Christians to take part.

In a letter to the RSA (see below), Mr Williamson again defended the council’s meeting procedures, which provide for an ‘Opening Prayer’. 

“The existence and adhesion to this provision does not favour or exclude any group or demographic and subsequently doesn’t expose council to any risk of liability for unlawful discrimination or a breach of human rights,” he said.

Despite council’s standing orders not specifying what religious tradition the prayer should come from, an RSA investigation has found that, since 2019, only Christian community leaders appear to have delivered the prayer.

In a review of livestream recordings, the RSA found, for example, Christian preachers:

• asking God to guide councillors and staff in their decisions so that they make decisions that “honour God”;
• acknowledging God as “the creator and Lord of all things”;
• asking that council be “renewed” through “Jesus Christ our Lord”;
• calling for God to spark a “spiritual revival” in the city.

The RSA believes this practice of having only Christian figures deliver the ‘Opening Prayer’ likely in breach of the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 and the Human Rights Act 2019.

In a letter to Mr Williamson and the council’s chief executive earlier this month (see below), RSA Executive Director Si Gladman asked the council to detail what the process was for determining who would be invited to lead the prayer/sermon at the opening of meetings.

Mr Gladman also asked whether Mackay council had invited people of other faith backgrounds to lead prayer and even non-religious people to make an opening statement.

Mayor Williamson, however, did not answer these questions.

Speaking today, Mr Gladman urged non-Christian and secular groups in Mackay to contact their councillors and advocate for change on this issue. He said:

The Mackay community is one of great religious and non-religious diversity. Indeed, we know that, according to the last Census, almost half of the population identified as either not religious or did not state a religion.

Mackay Regional Council needs to start living up to its stated commitment of fostering diversity and inclusion, and stop imposing acts of worship in one particular religion – Christianity. Council meetings should be secular and should not privilege one religious worldview.

The council’s Standing Orders don’t say anything about the ‘Opening Prayer’ needing to be Christian. Having exclusively Christian pastors and preachers leading prayers and sermons for multiple minutes at the opening of meetings can be deeply uncomfortable, off-putting and exclusionary for many people.

Everyone should feel welcome and able to participate on an equal footing at Mackay council meetings. The council should provide an equal opportunity to community members of other faith traditions and also people of non-faith backgrounds to participate in that part of the meeting, or replace it with something like a secular statement about working in the interests of the community or with a moment of silent reflection that allows all people to reflect or pray in their own way.

The practice of including religious rituals as part of council meetings is also likely unlawful because it is not authorised by the Local Government Act 2009 (Qld). Plus, section 4(2)(c) of that act says the local government responsibilities are to be performed in a manner consistent with the principle of “social inclusion”.

The Rationalist Society of Australia is actively lobbying and advocating for prayer rituals to be replaced with more appropriate practices in councils and parliaments. See the latest updates here.

Si Gladman is Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. He also hosts ‘The Secular Agenda’ podcast.

Image: Mayor Greg Williamson (Facebook)

Letter from Si Gladman to Mayor Williamson, 6 November 2024

Dear Mayor Williamson,

Thank you for your response to our inquiry in August in regards to council’s practice of opening meetings with Christian prayers.

We are pleased to hear you say that the Mackay council is committed to fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion.

However, your statement that the opening prayer “does not favour or exclude any group or demographic” does not appear to match with the council’s record.

Based on our research, it appears that every general meeting of council livestreamed since 2019 has begun with Christian community leaders reciting Christian prayers/sermons. This appears to have been the case for all meetings except a few where the pastor or priest failed to turn up. Some of the prayers/sermons recited have lasted for a number of minutes. One earlier this year went for 11 minutes.

Can you detail for us what the council’s process is for determining who is invited to lead the prayer/sermon at the opening of meetings?

Has the council invited members of other faith (non-Christian) traditions to take part? 

Has the council invited non-religious and secular groups (such as humanists, atheists, and rationalists) to make an opening statement?

The Mackay community is one of great diversity. We urge you to deliver on the council’s pledge to promote inclusion and celebrate diversity, and to provide an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.

Regards,

Si Gladman

Executive Director,

Rationalist Society of Australia

Letter from Mayor Williamson to Si Gladman, 12 November 2024

Mr Gladman,

Thank you for email.

As per our previous correspondence Mackay Regional Council’s standing orders contain the following provision in relation to opening prayer, namely: –

1.7.1 Order of Business

• (d) Unless otherwise altered pursuant to section 1.7.1(b), the order of business for the ordinary meeting will be: − Attendance − Opening Prayer Acknowledgement of Country

The existence and adhesion to this provision does not favour or exclude any group or demographic and subsequently doesn’t expose council to any risk of liability for unlawful discrimination or a breach of human rights.

Regards

Mayor Greg Williamson,