THE North East's most senior Christian leader has indicated he supports removing the Lord's Prayer from Victorian Upper House sittings.
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Anglican Bishop of Wangaratta Clarence Bester was reacting to a bid by Reason Party leader Fiona Patten to end daily reading of the plea.
Bishop Bester said that Australia was a secular state with people of many faiths.
"No particular faith or religious tradition should have the monopoly of our ever changing society and we should be respectful of each other in every respect," Bishop Bester said.
"I do believe that questions or suggestions to this effect will come more to the fore as with Fiona Patten's suggestion.
"The Lord's Prayer is relevant to those of us who are part of the Christian society and...a secular state should not and cannot favour a particular religiosity or even where people do not adhere to any religion or faith."
Bishop Bester said the Lord's Prayer was "best suited" to a religious arena and seen as exclusive rather than inclusive at parliament.
"In my personal place of residence, others will respect my tradition but when I enter someone else's space, I can still silently offer my prayers, even make the sign of the cross as per my tradition when I give thanks for food to sustain my body, but will never impose my tradition on others," he said.
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"In an open space like within a parliament setting, we should respect others in the same way."
Wodonga Upper House member Tim Quilty has shown some support for the motion, but has not said whether he will vote for the change.
However, he felt Ms Patten was being a bit hypocritical by not also wanting to remove another cultural ritual, the Upper House's Acknowledgement of Country.
Ms Patten responded by suggesting that Mr Quilty could pursue that idea, saying her focus had been on abolishing the Lord's Prayer.
Mr Quilty said he might undertake that action as part of an amendment that he would make to Ms Patten's motion on Wednesday.
However, he noted it would be a "little divisive to do that".
Ms Patten believes the recognition is different to the prayer.
"I don't see that as a religious statement, I see that as acknowledging Aboriginal land," she said.
Ms Patten said it was clear not all MLCs were comfortable with the Lord's Prayer.
She said she knew of up to a dozen, including Labor Northern Victoria MPs, who had stood outside the chamber while it was read.
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