Speaker Trevor Mallard does not have any plans to revisit the parliamentary prayer, even though it was less popular among MPs and in public feedback than the previous one. The majority want change. It is just that they were split about what the change should be. Mallard appeared before the governance and administration select committee Read more
An Auckland Islamic Shia leader says he is not offended by the mention of Jesus in the parliamentary opening prayer. Parliament’s speaker removed reference to both Jesus and the Queen in the prayer read out at the start of each sitting day. Mr Mallard says he removed reference to Jesus to make the prayer more Read more
Parliament will open with a new prayer on Tuesday after the Speaker of the House listened to criticism about him removing mention of the Queen and Jesus Christ. While the Queen is back in the new version to be read ahead of Question Time next week, references to Jesus Christ are still on the chopping Read more
Parliament’s Speaker David Carter has announced that the traditional prayer he uses to open daily sittings of Parliament will remain as is, with its Christian references. He undertook a very low-key consultation process with MPs and offered an alternative that would remove religious references to “Almight God” and “Jesus Christ our Lord” from the English Read more
Assistant Speaker Trevor Mallard is objecting to the proposed new prayer for Parliament, saying while it removes religious elements from the English version, it deceptively puts them into the Maori version. It also appeared to confer rights of Parliament’s sovereignty on the local iwi, Te Atiawa. Speaker David Carter appears to have consulted only MPs Read more
New Life Churches International is urging Christians to oppose any changes in the parliamentary prayer. Rasik Ranchord, spokesperson on public issues for New Life Churches International, has sent out an email asking church leaders to get their members to write to members of parliament urging them to retain the present prayer. On 17 November the Read more
The Christian prayer read in Parliament each day is out of date and should go, retiring Green Party MP Keith Locke says.
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