A council in Melbourne's inner-east has scrapped a prayer councillors were able to say before their monthly meetings after being faced with a legal challenge.
On Monday night, all but one of the Boorondara councillors present voted in favour of a motion to officially remove the more than two decades old practice.
The prayer - which was stopped after the letter - was contained within Rule 18A of the council's governance rules, which also includes an Acknowledgement of Country."Council meetings may commence with the Council prayer and the Acknowledgement of Country," it read. Residents participating in the process were told the council had given"consideration to the extent to which Rule 18A complies with the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, as it relates to religious freedom".
Mayor Felicity Sinfield told Monday night's meeting she was disappointed councillors had to have the discussion about removing the prayer because it was"unnecessarily divisive for the council and for our community".
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