Several readers have written letters to the Western Advocate in recent weeks, calling for the prayer to be ditched.

Initial letter writer, Hans Stroeve, pointed to Wagga Wagga Council recently voting to replace Christian prayer with a period of silent reflection.

READ MORE: I think it's time to replace the Christian prayer at the start of each council meeting

Others have called the prayer an "archaic ritual" and said it leaves non-Christian residents "out in the cold".

When the Western Advocate spoke to councillors about this very same issue in 2019, they were all in favour of retaining the prayer.

Five new councillors have been added to the chamber since then and with them have come different attitudes on the prayer, however, the majority still stand behind its inclusion at meetings.

New councillor and current mayor, Robert Taylor, wants to the tradition to stay.

"I just think it's traditional, it's been in place for I don't know how many years, and I just feel that it should stay there," he said.

Deputy mayor Ben Fry looks upon he prayer with a degree of indifference, but ultimately said he sees no problem with its inclusion on the agenda.

"I don't dislike the prayer. I don't feel the need for it, but if it's not hurting anyone I'm happy for it to just continue status quo," he said.

"I think it's important that we recognise the Traditional Owners, which we do. We've got to admit that Bathurst was born into Christian faith and I suppose the prayer is a nod to that.

"Some in the chamber aren't religious, but I see no problem with having the prayer there."

Cr Marg Hogan noted that council has not received any formal public submissions requesting the removal of the prayer and for that reason she said she was "comfortable to keep it".

Councillors Warren Aubin, Graeme Hanger, Jess Jennings and Ian North, who all retained their seats on council in the last election, have not changed their opinions since 2019.

"I believe in tradition. Am I a religious man? I wouldn't say a strong religious man, but I believe there's things out there that we don't understand, like I think a lot of people do," Cr North said.

"I think it's part of what we do as a society with our prayer, like we are now acknowledging country. I don't think we should change."

Cr Hanger also cited tradition.

"I think it should stay. It's traditional and, despite what people say, I still think we're a Christian nation," he said.

Cr Jennings, who identifies as agnostic, said he would support the prayer "unless someone comes up with a suitable secular equivalent that all councillors are happy to change to".

There are two councillors, though, who would happily remove the prayer from the meeting agenda altogether.

Cr Kirralee Burke said the prayer was "old, outdated and inappropriate".

She said, "I personally have a bit of an agenda to have a more inclusive council and if we're not saying every prayer that represents every religion in the chamber, why are we still supporting a prayer of Catholicism? That doesn't seem necessarily inclusive to me."

She would prefer to have no prayer, leaving just the Acknowledgement of Country on the agenda each month, and her opinion is seconded by Cr Andrew Smith.

"I believe that it's probably time to revisit it. I think the Acknowledgement of Country is more important than religious values," he said.

"I think [the prayer] is outdated. Personally, I think it can go."

The prayer is included in council's Code of Meeting Practice document, the draft version of which is set to be adopted at the August 17 council meeting.

The wording of the prayer is as follows:

Almighty God, Give wisdom to those in authority and guide all peoples in the way of righteousness and peace, so that we may share with justice the resources of the earth, work together in trust and seek the common good. Amen.

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