OK, here’s where this has come from for those coming in late.
New speaker Liberal Vicki Dunne decided she wanted a church service to start the Assembly sitting year. This happens for the big kids on the Hill.
Instead of lightly canvassing her colleagues for support she sent out official invitations first and then when Chief Minister Gallagher declined that correspondence found its way to the Australian Christian Lobby who carried on like pork chops (such is their way).
On Monday we then had the unedifying spectacle of the Liberal only service to commence the sittings of the Assembly.
As a result Labor and Green have passed a motion asking Speaker Dunne to not do this again in the future.
This has been turned into a massive assault on the tories religious freedom, and by extension the religious freedoms of you all.
The Greens’ Shane Rattenbury has taken a stab at setting this straight, helpfully including the relevant motion while explaining:
“Various unsubstantiated claims were made in the debate this morning, such as religious schools will now be unable to attend the Assembly, and Members would not be able to host religious organisations in the Assembly,” said Mr Rattenbury.
“This is a blatant misrepresentation of what this morning’s motion was about – a motion that sought to ensure that the Legislative Assembly, as an institution, did not ‘endorse or be affiliated with any ceremony that involves adherence or affiliation with any religious faith’.
“The motion does not seek to prevent any member of the Assembly from participating in any faith based activity, nor hosting events or community groups that have a religious affiliation.
This was made very clear, both in the text of the motion, and by those who spoke to the motion.