The daily recital of the Lord’s Prayer at the opening of Parliament is a vital tradition that establishes a moral framework for our legislative process. However, this heritage is currently under threat. 

In June 2026, Bassendean Labor MP Dave Kelly submitted a proposal to the WA Legislative Assembly’s inquiry into the standing orders, calling for the Lord's Prayer to be abolished and replaced with a minute of silence. 

We must act now to ensure the inquiry protects this important practice. 

Retaining the prayer is not merely a conservative Christian initiative; it is broadly supported across diverse faith communities. 

When a similar move was attempted in Victoria in 2024, a massive parliamentary petition successfully defended the prayer with the official backing of a broad multifaith coalition. 

Representatives from the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, Board of Imams Victoria, Hindu Council of Australia, and the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council—who together minister to over two million people—united to protect the tradition. They successfully argued that the prayer provides a crucial reminder that Parliament is not the ultimate authority for building a just society.

A genuinely democratic and just society can recognize its Christian historical foundations while protecting everyone's right to believe, abstain, or participate. 

The Lord’s Prayer embodies institutional humility, public accountability, and continuity with our constitutional heritage, which explicitly acknowledges our humble reliance on the blessings of Almighty God.

Please use the form below to send an urgent submission to the WA Legislative Assembly inquiry urging them to retain the Lord’s Prayer in the standing orders.

For submissions to an inquiry, you must include your phone number, along with your email address, in the email body.

You must also specify if you wish for it to be either:

Public Submission: if you wish your submission to be public, change the subject to "Public Submission: Inquiry into Legislative Assembly Standing Orders - [your name]"

...or...

Name Withheld: If you wish to make the submission public without your name, change the subject "Name withheld submission: Inquiry into Legislative Assembly Standing Orders - [your name]"

... or ...

Private Submission: To make your submission private and not published anywhere publicly, change the subject line to "Private Submission: Inquiry into Legislative Assembly Standing Orders - [Your Name]"

NOTE: This campaign is open to WA residents only