• Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
  • Competition
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Catch of the decade
  • Season on the line for Seagulls
  • Pythons face an uphill battle, Redlegs stumble
  • Ketch blown ashore in Dromana
  • Early morning hit
  • Boxing world mourns loss of a champion
  • Successfully navigating the path of anxiety
  • Ryman abandons Mt Martha centre
Facebook Twitter
MPNEWSMPNEWS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
MPNEWSMPNEWS
Home»Latest News»Bid to overturn ‘prayer’ decision
Latest News

Bid to overturn ‘prayer’ decision

By Keith PlattFebruary 1, 2021Updated:February 1, 2021No Comments3 Mins Read
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

DEFINITIONS of a prayer and a pledge have become part of the ongoing debate following the December decision by a majority of Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors to amend the wording of the prayer said before council meetings.

While the word “prayer” remains as part of the council’s Governance Rules adopted in August 2020, the words recited at the start of each council meeting  begin with “We pledge that this council…”.

The decision to not change the wording of the rules followed advice from the shire’s in-house lawyer Amanda Sapolu, who said “the form of prayer is not prescribed” in the rules and it was up to council to choose the wording (“God purged from council ‘prayer’” The News 15/12/20).

If councillors had decided to substitute “pledge” for “prayer” in the Governance Rules they could not have avoided seeking community approval.

At next week’s council meeting (Tuesday 9 February) Crs Antonella Celi and Hugh Fraser will try to overturn the December decision to scrap the council prayer.

Cr Fraser, a barrister, will argue that a “pledge” is not a “prayer” and the council had amended the Governance Rules which can only be done by seeking community approval.

Cr Celi will move that council review the wording of the Prayer (which started with “we pledge…”).

She says the adopted pledge was suggested by Cr Anthony Marsh “without community engagement or consultation,  thereby excluding the community from being given an opportunity to provide formal feedback and input into the wording of the Prayer which in effect has now become a Pledge”.

All dictionary definitions of “prayer” found by The News include a reference to “God”, as in “a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or another deity” or “a devout petition to God or an object of worship”.

A “pledge” is mostly described as “a solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something: a pledge of aid; a pledge not to wage war”.

Cr David Gill said the “shallow” decision to drop the prayer had been made “by newly-elected councillors to avoid public consultation”.

He said all of the new councillors had, during their election campaigns, criticised the former council for not consulting the public.

After the 8 December meeting Cr Celi said the thrust of the debate at the meeting was not about the removal of God from the prayer, but the lack of community consultation and engagement on what was an ingrained community issue.

“Not one of the councillors was elected on a mandate to make this change,” Cr Celi said. “I am most concerned about the precedent for future decisions. What’s the next thing that will be changed without community consultation?”

The decision to change the wording of the council prayer was supported by Crs Marsh, Paul Mercurio, Sarah Race, Lisa Dixon, Kerri McCafferty and the mayor Despi O’Connor. Against: Crs David Gill, Steve Holland, Fraser, Debra Mar and Celi.

First published in the Southern Peninsula News- 2 February 2021

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Council unable to stop sex industry expansion

August 8, 2022

Shire tracks state poll promises

August 8, 2022

Orange Door to safety opens at Hastings

August 2, 2022

Call for action on housing crisis

August 1, 2022
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Weather
Aug 9, 2022 - Tue
Mornington, Australia
9°C
clear sky
clear sky
1 m/s, ESE
70%
770.32 mmHg
tue08/09 wed08/10 thu08/11 fri08/12 sat08/13
sky is clear
10/8°C
overcast clouds
11/10°C
light rain
11/11°C
light rain
14/10°C
light rain
12/9°C
Peninsula Essence Magazine

Click here to read

July 25, 2022
Peninsula Kids Magazine

Click here to read

May 26, 2022
Council Watch

Shire ‘committed’ to aged care

August 8, 2022

Shire not forced to drop aged care services

August 1, 2022
State Elections 2022

‘Justice’ for animals and climate

August 8, 2022

Peta Murphy wins second term in Dunkley

May 23, 2022

Shire accused of being off track with pledges

May 17, 2022
Interview

All aboard for murder mystery

July 25, 2022
Property of the Week

14 Lynch Court, Mt Martha

July 26, 2022
100 Years Ago This Week

Ketch blown ashore in Dromana

August 8, 2022
Contact
Street: 63 Watt Road, Mornington, 3931
Mailing: PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook Twitter
© 2022 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.