Senator: Prayer must go

GREENS senator Lee Rhiannon will move to stop federal parliament opening every day with the Lord’s Prayer.

The push follows figures from last year’s census showing nearly one third of Australians identify with no religion.

Senator Rhiannon, who first raised the issue in 2003, wants a period of reflection instead for MPs to consider their responsibilities and will pursue the change when parliament resumes from the winter break. “It is actually insulting the way parliament is opened,” she told ABC TV yesterday.