Local government is secular. There should be separation between the institutions of religion and the state.
The Boroondara community is diverse and includes people of many different religions and non-religious people.
A Christian prayer may alienate some elected councillors, staff members, and members of the public who do not belong to the officially favoured religion and make some feel unwelcome and excluded.
Freedom of belief in our democracy does not extend to imposing specific beliefs on those they do not subscribe to them.
Religious and non-religious worldviews should be treated equally.
I do not support the Rule 18A cause that meetings “may commence” with prayer “at the discretion of the chairperson”.
An increasing number of councils across Victoria and Australia have removed prayer rituals from their meetings and the Victorian state government has pledged to remove prayers from the parliament.
I call on Boroondara Council to abolish prayers in Council meetings.
Links
You can submit feedback on this issue here - closing date is 20 June 2023
Public consultation gives Councillor Franco hope of ending long-running prayer battle | Rationalist Society of Australia
