I TRY to get along to most Bathurst Regional Council meetings. I like to know what is happening with our civic leaders and hear their contributions.
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I enjoy watching and hearing community members express their concerns or congratulating council and its staff.
Over the last four years that I have been attending council meetings, the mayor or the acting mayor rises to their feet and asks everybody to stand for the "prayer". They read off a three-line paragraph, everybody is then seated and we get on with the meeting.
Why? Why do we need to have a prayer before the meeting starts? Why don't we sing the national anthem as well? Recite our allegiances to the Queen? Or pay respect to the traditional land owners?
I have heard the general manager for Bathurst Regional Council say many times that the council is a creature of the NSW Government - and he is right. So why is there a prayer to some god?
I am not a person who believes in religion, so I don't stand for the prayer. I don't see the need. Saying a prayer does not help the council do its business.
Get rid of the prayer and get on with policy.