Boroondara community divided over call to scrap council prayer

An ex-premier’s son, priests and anti-religion activists are among hundreds of people weighing in over a push to dump the prayer at Boroondara council meetings.

Almost 200 people have lodged submissions with the City of Boroondara over the issue of scrapping the prayer at the start of council meetings.

A row over whether a prayer should be recited at the start of council meetings has energised the normally quiet eastern suburbs.

A former premier’s son, priests and anti-religion activists are among almost 200 people who have lodged submissions with the City of Boroondara over the issue.

A bid by councillor Victor Franco to dump the prayer was rejected at a council meeting last month, with one councillor saying the municipality was “a largely Christian community”.

In part, the prayer seeks blessings from “almighty God” but does not reference any particular religion.

About 60 per cent of submissions received by council on the issue argued the prayer should have no official place at Town Hall, while many supported keeping the Indigenous acknowledgement of country statement which is also made at meetings.

Rob Baillieu, son of former Liberal premier Ted Baillieu and a failed council candidate, told Boroondara the prayer was uncomfortable for non-­religious residents, as well as being divisive, disrespectful and probably illegal.

The Rationalist Society of Australia said while supporting freedom to practice one’s faith, having the prayer violated the separation between “institutions of religion and institutions of state”.

City of Boroondara councillor Victor Franco has called on the council to dump the prayer at the start of meetings.

Submitter Neil McPhie said the “Christian prayer” was not inclusive, and churches that did not pay council rates should not get priority ahead of ratepayers.

Jessica Enders said in her submission the prayer sent a message that the council didn’t care about the beliefs and practices of a significant proportion of residents.

More than 70 submissions supported the prayer’s retention, including from Greek Orthodox priest Father Nicholas Georgiou who said the prayer promoted peace and goodwill.

Father Georgiou, from North Balwyn’s The Presentation Our Lady to the Temple church, said it allowed councillors to pause and reflect on why they were there.

Senior pastor at North Balwyn Baptist Church Graeme Prentice said the prayer was broad, respectful, dignified and not exclusive.

A submission by Victor Hudon said the prayer reflected values “we hold dear which have kept us strong over many years”.

At the 2016 census, Boroondara, which includes Hawthorn, Kew and Camberwell, had 37 per cent of residents ­report no religion. About half the population identified as Christian, with Catholics and Anglicans the main groups.

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