A Labor MP in Western Australia is urging the state parliament to abandon its long‑standing tradition of reciting the Lord’s Prayer at the start of each sitting day, arguing that a modern, multicultural society deserves a more inclusive approach.
The proposal comes as WA undertakes its first major review of lower‑house procedures since 1999, with a wide range of parliamentary rules under consideration including whether the Christian prayer should remain part of daily proceedings.
Former cabinet minister Dave Kelly said the prayer is “no longer appropriate” in a state where people come from many faiths and from no faith at all. In his submission to the review committee, Kelly said he and several colleagues avoid entering the chamber for the Acknowledgement of Country because doing so requires them to stay for the prayer.
“WA is now a proud multicultural community welcoming citizens from all around the world, with many religions and no religion,” he wrote. “Now more than ever we should strive to make everyone feel welcome and included.”
A discussion paper released by the committee acknowledged that the Lord’s Prayer is a “long‑standing parliamentary tradition,” but noted that any change raises broader questions about how to balance heritage with modernisation.
At present, the Australian Capital Territory is the only parliament in the country to have removed the prayer entirely. Instead, the Speaker invites members to stand and “pray or reflect on our responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.”
Kelly wants WA to adopt a similar model a moment of silence that allows each MP to reflect, pray, or simply prepare for the responsibilities of the day without imposing a specific religious practice.
As the review continues, the debate highlights a broader national conversation about how parliaments should evolve to reflect the diversity of the communities they represent.
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