The Claim
“Defeated moves to cease the recital of the (Christian) Lord's prayer at the start of each sitting day of (secular) federal parliament.”
Original Sources Provided
✅ FACTUAL VERIFICATION
The core claim is factually accurate. The Coalition Government (2013-2022) did vote against and defeat multiple Greens motions seeking to abolish or replace the recitation of the Lord's Prayer at the beginning of each parliamentary sitting day.
In February 2014, Greens leader Richard Di Natale moved a motion to replace the parliamentary prayer with a moment for "silent prayer or reflection" [1]. The motion was defeated in the Senate, with Coalition senators voting against it alongside Labor senators [2].
The tradition of reading prayers at the start of each sitting day dates back to the opening of Federal Parliament on 9 May 1901 [3]. The Standing Orders of both the House of Representatives and Senate require the Speaker and President respectively to read a parliamentary prayer followed by the Lord's Prayer at the beginning of each sitting day [4].
In 2017, Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon again called for the Lord's Prayer to be removed, describing it as "insulting" and "jarring" [5]. In June 2018, a formal Senate Committee inquiry was established to examine replacing the prayers with a silent reflection period [6]. After receiving approximately 820 submissions (the vast majority opposing change), the Committee recommended no change to the practice [7].
Missing Context
Critical omitted fact: Labor also consistently opposed these changes. The claim frames this as a Coalition action, when in reality both major parties maintained identical positions on this issue.
When Di Natale's 2014 motion was defeated, Labor Senator Claire Moore explicitly stated the ALP did not support the motion because a broader review of parliamentary procedure was underway [8]. The defeat was bipartisan, not a Coalition-only position.
The tradition has been maintained continuously since 1901 through:
- Multiple Labor governments (Whitlam 1972-1975, Hawke/Keating 1983-1996, Rudd/Gillard 2007-2013)
- Multiple Coalition governments
- Various changes in parliamentary leadership and Speakers
The Parliamentary Education Office notes that "there have been several attempts by senators and members... to change the standing orders to replace the prayers with an opportunity for personal prayer or reflection. In voting against this change, some senators and members have argued the prayers at the beginning of each sitting day are a long standing and non-partisan tradition which re-affirms their commitment to the common good of Australia" [9].
Source Credibility Assessment
The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) is the original source provided. SMH is generally considered a mainstream, reputable Australian newspaper. Media bias assessments indicate SMH reports news factually with minimal bias in news coverage, while editorial positions lean slightly left [10]. The specific 2014 article cited is a straightforward news report on the Greens' motion, containing factual reporting without overt partisan framing.
The SMH article quotes both sides of the debate - Greens leader Richard Di Natale calling the prayer "an anachronism" and Liberal Senator Eric Abetz describing the move as "the latest Green attack as part of their ongoing attempt to rewrite our history and deny our heritage" [1].
Labor Comparison
Did Labor do something similar?
Search conducted: "Labor government parliamentary prayer tradition history"
Finding: Labor governments maintained the exact same practice throughout their terms in office.
The Parliamentary Library chronology documents that the Lord's Prayer has been recited at the start of each sitting day continuously since 1901, including through all Labor government periods [3]:
- Whitlam Government (1972-1975): Prayers continued unchanged
- Hawke/Keating Governments (1983-1996): Prayers continued unchanged
- Rudd/Gillard Governments (2007-2013): Prayers continued unchanged, with an Acknowledgement of Country added in 2010 before the prayers
In fact, Labor Senator Michael Beahan (Senate President 1993-1997) called for prayer-reading to be abolished in his 1996 valedictory speech, describing prayers as "archaic and anachronistic" [11]. However, the Labor Party as a whole did not adopt this position, and the practice continued unchanged under Labor governments.
The 2018 Senate Committee inquiry that recommended retaining the prayers received support from Labor, Coalition, and crossbench senators who opposed the Greens' proposed changes [7].
Balanced Perspective
While the Coalition did defeat specific Greens motions to remove the Lord's Prayer (as the claim states), this represents the bipartisan consensus position of Australian federal parliaments since 1901, not a uniquely Coalition stance.
Arguments for retaining the prayers include:
- Recognition that the tradition affirms "commitment to the common good of Australia" [9]
- The practice is voluntary - members are not required to attend or participate
- Recognition of Australia's historical Christian cultural heritage
- The 2018 Committee found insufficient momentum for change among parliamentarians [7]
Arguments for change include:
- Australia is a secular nation with no state religion
- The 2016 Census showed 30% of Australians identify as having no religion, making them the largest "religious" group [5]
- The prayer excludes non-Christian Australians (including those of other faiths and no faith)
- The practice conflicts with the principle of separation of church and state
Key context: This is not unique to the Coalition. Every Labor government has maintained this practice. The only Australian parliament to abolish the Lord's Prayer is the ACT Legislative Assembly, which since 1995 has invited members to "pray or reflect" in silence instead [4].
Following the 2022 election, the Labor Government made a modest change in September 2022: adding an invitation to "pray or reflect in your own way" before reading the traditional prayers, and moving the Acknowledgement of Country to occur first [12]. The prayers themselves remain.
PARTIALLY TRUE
6.0
out of 10
The claim is factually true - the Coalition did defeat moves to cease the Lord's Prayer. However, the framing is misleading as it implies this was a distinctive Coalition position when it was actually the bipartisan position shared with Labor. Both major parties have consistently opposed Greens motions to remove the prayers, and all Labor governments maintained this identical practice throughout their terms. The claim omits that Labor has been equally committed to preserving this tradition, making the "secular" framing of the claim suggest a partisan distinction that does not exist in practice.
Final Score
6.0
OUT OF 10
PARTIALLY TRUE
The claim is factually true - the Coalition did defeat moves to cease the Lord's Prayer. However, the framing is misleading as it implies this was a distinctive Coalition position when it was actually the bipartisan position shared with Labor. Both major parties have consistently opposed Greens motions to remove the prayers, and all Labor governments maintained this identical practice throughout their terms. The claim omits that Labor has been equally committed to preserving this tradition, making the "secular" framing of the claim suggest a partisan distinction that does not exist in practice.
📚 SOURCES & CITATIONS (11)
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1
smh.com.au
The Lord's Prayer in Federal Parliament is an anachronism, according to Greens senator Richard di Natale, who is calling to have the prayer scrapped.
The Sydney Morning Herald -
2
parlinfo.aph.gov.au
Parlinfo Aph Gov
-
3
aph.gov.au
This chronology briefly describes some of the key moments in the history of prayer-reading in the Australian Federal Parliament in order to show how the practice was established and evolved over time. A brief comparison of the current prayer-reading practices in Australian
Aph Gov -
4PDF
full SOs 2Aug2022
Aph Gov • PDF Document -
5
archive.junkee.com
After the census showed that 30% of Australians are not religious, Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon wants the Lord's prayer cut from parliamentary proceeding.
Junkee -
6
parlinfo.aph.gov.au
Parlinfo Aph Gov
-
7
aph.gov.au
Background Standing order 50 provides for the President to read a prayer and make an acknowledgement of country on taking the chair on each sitting day: 50 Prayer and acknowledgement of country The President, on taking the chair each day, shall read the following prayer:
Aph Gov -
8
peo.gov.au
Need help with a question about the Australian Parliament? The Parliamentary Education Office has the answers! Search the answers to already asked questions or, if you can't find the information you are looking for, ask your own question.
Parliamentary Education Office -
9
mediabiasfactcheck.com
LEFT-CENTER BIAS These media sources have a slight to moderate liberal bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording
Media Bias/Fact Check -
10
parlinfo.aph.gov.au
Parlinfo Aph Gov
-
11
parlinfo.aph.gov.au
Parlinfo Aph Gov
Rating Scale Methodology
1-3: FALSE
Factually incorrect or malicious fabrication.
4-6: PARTIAL
Some truth but context is missing or skewed.
7-9: MOSTLY TRUE
Minor technicalities or phrasing issues.
10: ACCURATE
Perfectly verified and contextually fair.
Methodology: Ratings are determined through cross-referencing official government records, independent fact-checking organizations, and primary source documents.