The Tasmanian Parliament makes decisions with the “utmost respect for tradition”, the state’s Premier has told the Rationalist Society of Australia in response to calls for replacing the parliament’s daily Christian prayers.
In a letter to the RSA (see below), Liberal leader Jeremy Rockliff explained the process for changing the Standing Orders – the rules that govern the business of the House of Assembly and Legislative Council –and said any proposal to remove prayers would not be made lightly.
Mr Rockliff (pictured) said that observing prayers was a “long tradition”, with prayers having been incorporated into the Standing Orders in 1937.
Along with prioritising tradition, he said the parliament, in its decision making, considered inclusivity and democratic principles.
“As your Premier, I am committed to ensuring that all decisions made in our Parliament are done with the utmost respect for tradition, inclusivity, and the democratic principles that underpin our society,” he said.
“The Standing Orders are not unilaterally decided or altered by any one party, including the Government of the day… This process ensures that any alterations to the Standing Orders, including the possible removal of the Lord’s Prayer, are not made lightly or without thorough consideration and debate among our elected representatives.”
A number of members of parliament have responded positively to the RSA’s call last month for both houses to examine, through committee processes, the appropriateness of observing prayers at the opening of proceedings each day.
Only the Labor Party has rejected the proposal outright, with new leader Dean Winter telling the RSA that his party supported continuing with the practice because it was “reflective of the expectations of the broader community” and was “an important mark of respect to the Christian faith”.
The RSA has since written back to Mr Winter to urge him to consult with Labor members and the wider public on the issue.
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: Jeremy Rockliff (Facebook)
Letter from Premier of Tasmania, Jeremy Rockliff, 6 September 2024
Dear Mr Gladman,
Thank you for your email of 26 August 2024 on behalf of the Rationalist Society of Australia expressing your concerns regarding the Standing Orders of the House of Assembly within the Tasmanian Parliament, specifically relating to the reciting of the Christian Lord’s Prayer at the beginning of each sitting day. There is a long tradition of reciting prayers in Parliament, with records showing that the Lord’s Prayer has been recited at the start of each sitting day since at least 1930 and has been part of the Standing Orders since 1937.
I appreciate your passion on this matter and welcome the opportunity to clarify how such decisions are made within our parliamentary process.
First, it is important to understand that the Standing Orders are a set of rules that govern the conduct of our parliamentary sessions, and is the mechanism that allows for the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer, as well as an acknowledgement of traditional people and period of reflection, which are made at the start of each sitting day. The Standing Orders are not unilaterally decided or altered by any one party, including the Government of the day. Any proposed changes or amendments to the Standing Orders are made by a motion moved by a Member of Parliament, or as recommended by the Joint Standing Committee responsible for the House’s Standing Orders, and are debated and voted upon by Members of the House of Assembly. This process ensures that any alterations to the Standing Orders, including the possible removal of the Lord’s Prayer, are not made lightly or without thorough consideration and debate among our elected representatives.
I trust this explanation provides some reassurance about the integrity of the process. As your Premier, I am committed to ensuring that all decisions made in our Parliament are done with the utmost respect for tradition, inclusivity, and the democratic principles that underpin our society.
Accordingly, I would strongly encourage you to contact the Presiding Officers of both Houses of Parliament, namely the Speaker of the House, the Hon Michelle O’Byrne MP, and the President of the Legislative Council, the Hon Craig Farrell MP, with your proposal for this matter to be progressed.
Thank you again for writing to me on this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Jeremy Rockliff MP
Premier