Australia is becoming less religious – almost 40 per cent of us now profess no religion. But our federal parliament (and all our state parliaments and hundreds of local councils) continues to open its official meetings with a Christian-only prayer ritual.

In our national parliament, at the start of each parliamentary day, everyone is expected to stand for the reciting of the Lord’s Prayer. At Redlands City Council in Queensland, official meetings open with a Christian ‘devotional segment’ that lasts for up to ten minutes!

With the census showing that at least half of us were born overseas or have a parent born overseas, these practices are hardly inclusive. Non-religious people and those following faiths other than Christianity may well feel uncomfortable in what should be our country’s most welcoming and secular institutions of democracy.

That's why I’m calling for our federal parliament to acknowledge the incredible diversity of our community and replace its Christian prayer rituals with more inclusive practices.

In 2018, the Australian Senate held an inquiry into whether to continue prayers as part of the Senate’s proceedings. Ultimately, they concluded there was no “momentum for change”.

Together, we can build that momentum for change.

With a new parliament about to meet in Canberra, now is the time to call on politicians to modernise the parliament with practices that reflect Australia’s diversity.

They could introduce a pledge that calls for MPs and Senators to work in the interests of the community, or follow the lead of the ACT’s Legislative Assembly and introduce a period of silent reflection.

Please help build momentum for this change. Sign this petition and share it with your friends.

Nothing will change unless we make it happen! Sign now!