Julian McGauran (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

‘Amen’ is probably one of the most potent Christian words in the dictionary. The introduction of the welcome to country has been a product of the Greens forming a coalition with the now new Labor Party. In the past the Greens have been at the forefront of calling for the abolition of the Lord’s Prayer from the parliamentary procedure. If they had their way they would abolish the Lord’s Prayer yet keep the welcome to country. This is because the Greens are a notoriously atheistic party. The Greens have been able to achieve, in 109 years since Federation, what no other party or leader would ever allow: the diminishing of our Judaeo-Christian tradition of saying the Lord’s Prayer. This is a party pitched against our Judaeo-Christian foundations and, to this extent, they have won a small victory.

I believe the welcome to country ought to be taken out of the daily opening of the parliament and given another parliamentary slot. It is more appropriate that the acknowledgement is used at the opening of a new parliament, as is the case. Members would be only too aware of the ceremony held out in the forecourt before the opening of a new parliament which the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and others attend. Further, there is no objection when the option is taken up to acknowledge the traditional owners at major functions or events in the Great Hall.

The real point is that the welcome to country ought to be separate, and be seen to be separate, from the meaning or significance given to the Lord’s Prayer in the parliament. I seek a delinking of the two. I believe the great many Christian Aboriginal people would agree with me. They would see this procedure in the Senate and in the House of Representatives as nothing more than gesture politics at best and offensive at worst.