MPs have until today to indicate whether they would like to adopt a new Parliament’s prayer - which would see references to “true religion” and “Jesus Christ our Lord” removed, Radio New Zealand reports.
Labour's Grant Robertson said he felt society had moved on since the current prayer was introduced more than 50 years ago. “There's some language in it that doesn’t really suit a modern era and I'm prepared to look at some changes to it. I think it's important we have some kind of reflection at the start of the day.”
Yet the proposed new prayer did not fill National's Chris Finlayson with fervour.“I thought that the proposal that was put forward was a little bit odd and I couldn't support that, so I guess the status quo is the best option.”
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters was adamant Jesus Christ should stay. “Frankly, we're sick and tired of people flooding into this country and wanting to change all our traditions and all our values and all our laws.”
Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell was a fan of the proposed new prayer and said he thought it would sound great in reo Maori.
Speaker David Carter will decide next week on whether to change the prayer that has been said in Parliament since 1962.
