15 June 2007

MPs vote to retain prayer

The Standing Orders Committee has considered Dr Anthony Hochberg’s petition to amend the wording of the parliamentary prayer and has decided to retain the current wording.

This followed the outcome of a survey of MPs conducted by the Speaker, on behalf of the Committee.

MPs voted to retain the parliamentary prayer at the start of each House sitting day. Seventy-four members or 84 percent of respondents agreed in the survey that a prayer should continue to be recited at the beginning of each sitting.

Fifty-five members or 63 percent of respondents who thought a prayer should continue to be recited, considered that the wording of the current prayer should not be reconsidered.

The Standing Orders Committee said the survey showed the prayer was a tradition that Members generally wished to retain in its current form.

However, the Committee said it was important to recognise that some members of the House did not agree with that position or identify with the prayer.

The Speaker’s suggestion that she conduct a survey to determine if there was a mood among Members favouring a change, came during the Committee’s consideration of a petition of Dr Hochberg and nine others, which was presented on
3 December, 2003.

Dr Hochberg’s petition asked that the House continue to open its sittings with a prayer, but with amended wording. The effect of the proposed wording would have been that the prayer would no longer be specifically Christian in nature.

The Speaker, Hon Margaret Wilson, who chairs the Committee, said while not all Members took advantage of the survey, 88 responses were received, which represented 73 percent of all Members.

The result was overwhelmingly for the status quo and Ms Wilson said she had no hesitation recommending the prayer stay unchanged.

Outcome of survey

Members were invited to indicate their views on the retention of the prayer and its wording, through the following two questions:
1. Do you consider that there should continue to be a prayer recited at the commencement of each sitting?
2. If a prayer is retained, do you consider that the wording of the present prayer should be reconsidered?
Responses were received from 88 members (73 percent of all members).

Current wording

Almighty God, humbly acknowledging our need for Thy guidance in all things, and laying aside all private and personal interests, we beseech Thee to grant that we may conduct the affairs of this House and of our country to the glory of Thy holy name, the maintenance of true religion and justice, the honour of the Queen, and the public welfare, peace, and tranquillity of New Zealand, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reciting of prayer

Seventy-four members (84 percent of respondents, 61 percent of all members) answered ‘yes’—that a prayer should continue to be recited at the commencement of each sitting.
Fourteen members (16 percent of respondents, 12 percent of all members) answered ‘no’—that a prayer should not continue to be recited at the commencement of each sitting.

Wording of prayer

Fifty-five of the members who thought a prayer should continue to be recited considered that the wording of the current prayer should not be reconsidered (63 percent of respondents, 45 percent of all members). Another member who did not consider there should be a prayer also thought that the present wording should not be reconsidered (bringing the total to 64 percent of respondents).

In all, 30 members (34 percent of respondents, 25 percent of all members) considered that the wording of the current prayer should be reconsidered. Of these, 11 had answered question one with ‘no’—that a prayer should not continue to be recited (13 percent of respondents, 9 percent of all members).

Two members did not answer question two. Both had answered question one in the negative.

The Standing Orders Committee report is available at http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Presented/SCReports/

ENDS

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