A Labor MP is calling for the Christian prayer which begins each sitting of Western Australia’s parliament to be scrapped in favour of a moment’s silence.
A wide range of changes to the rules which govern WA’s lower house are currently being considered in the first major review of such procedures since 1999.
As part of that, the question of whether the Lord’s Prayer — which is read at the beginning of each sitting — should remain was raised.
Former cabinet minister Dave Kelly said, in his view, a Christian prayer was “no longer appropriate”.
WA Labor MP for Bassendean, Dave Kelly, now sits on the backbench in parliament. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
“Unfortunately, I and a number of other members avoid coming into the [Legislative Assembly] for the Acknowledgement of Country because if you do you are forced to remain there for the Lord’s Prayer,” he wrote in a submission to the committee undertaking the review.
“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.
“No other workplace in WA starts each day with a prayer except organisations that are explicitly [religious] in nature, for example Christian schools.“
Mr Kelly, who has long advocated for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse — particularly by the Christian Brothers — also linked the prayer to their experiences.
The prayer is a long-standing parliamentary tradition. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
“You cannot underestimate the triggering effect on survivors when they come to this place and see that the [Legislative Assembly] starts every day with a Christian prayer,” he wrote.
“We must do everything reasonable to ensure the parliament demonstrates to survivors that we see them and we stand with them.
“And that we no longer side with the institutions that are responsible for the abuse.”
Prayer ‘long standing tradition’
A discussion paper released by the committee noted the Lord’s Prayer has been a “long-standing parliamentary tradition” and that any change “raises broader questions about the balance between tradition and modernisation”.
The Australian Capital Territory is the only Australian parliament to have done away with the tradition.
Instead, the Speaker asks members to stand in their place “and pray or reflect on our responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory”.
“It’s an attempt to make the parliament more inclusive of everybody, regardless of their religious belief or regardless of whether they have a religious belief at all,” Mr Kelly told 102.5 ABC Perth.
“The focus should be on what are we here to do today for the people of Western Australia.”
Also among the 26 points up for review are how to address MPs’ behaviour outside of the chamber and how question time could be changed to become more effective.
The opinions of ABC listeners were split on the proposal to scrap the prayer.
I support the Lord’s Prayer. I am not a practising Christian, but it is the overarching religion at the foundation of our nation and it is appropriate in this context … it’s a bit like ‘Welcome to Country’ just a small reminder about where we have come from. — Jay from Broome
I am shocked to hear that in 2026 the Lord’s Prayer is still read in parliament. Firstly, a large percentage of people are not religious at all, and secondly, what has religion got to do with parliament? Whatever happened to separation of church and state? — Kylie
I’m not religious, but don’t change the Lord’s Prayer in parliament. We are fundamentally a Christian country and, regardless of your beliefs, its values underpin our culture. That can’t change. Leave it! — John
If you say the Lord’s Prayer is not valid in state parliament anymore, then you can use the same mentality regarding Easter & Christmas and abolish those public holidays. But that won’t happen. I’m not religious, but I respect those that are and the practices that we adhere too — Darren
