Prayers to open council meetings

THE Cardinia Shire Council will now start all meetings with a prayer.
The first prayer was said at Monday night’s general council meeting, after the chamber observed a minute’s silence in honour of Victoria’s bushfire victims.
During that meeting councillors voted to amend local law 13 to introduce an opening prayer for council meetings.
Councillor Collin Ross, who moved that the amendment be made, said opening prayers were commonplace at councils across the state.
“I personally called all 79 councils in Victoria and asked them where they stood – 70 per cent said they still had prayers as part of their meeting procedure,” Cr Ross said.
Prayers are said at the beginning of meetings at Greater Dandenong and City of Casey as well as in State and Federal parliaments.