For whom the Mayor prays
Every Hills Shire Council ordinary meeting begins with an address and/or prayer from an invited guest pastor or minister or other religious representative. But the chances are about 50/50 that they are not praying for you … We were very curious to learn how well the exclusively Christian prayer ritual at Hills Shire Council meetings reflects the religious beliefs of Hills Shire residents. The 2021 census revealed the following about the religious affiliation of people in the Hills Shire: 51.4% identified broadly as Christian (down from 61% in 2016) 17.6% identified broadly as Non Christian (up from 11.6% in 2016) 27.0% identified as having No Religion (up from 21.4% in 2016) Very nearly half of Hills Shire residents have either no religion or adhere to non Christian religions. (Some believe the numbers may be significantly higher - see later in this article for more information.) Not representative There have been 52 ordinary meetings of council so far this term. At every one o