Ponde, the political decision making by the Abbott government is based on a wing and a prayer, and hope for divine intervention somewhere along the line before everything goes belly up and the voters get wise to the charlatans! So I'm sure the Mad Monk will want to hold onto it.

The Lord's prayer was originally used by Essene Jews and Jesus taught to his disciples. So Jews should not find it offensive as no concept contained in it differs from their faith. Muslims uphold Jesus as a prophet and respect his teaching. The only ones who would object are atheists of varying degrees, as they see themselves as the highest authority.
Think about the words.
Our Father - who occupy the spiritual realm of power.
Holy be your character. Name = character
Your kingdom be revealed = may purity rule our world.
Thy will be done on Earth - May your highest values rule our world.
Give us today our basic needs - manage the environment and our resources well so our needs are met.
Forgive us where we have violated another's character and help us be forgiving of others violations.
Lead us not into temptations of dishonest dealings, lying or deceiving.
For your government reflects true holiness and purity.

YES! lets get rid of all these values and may we never be reminded that Government should not consider these things. Where does this leave atheists? Lets have a look at their values. Do they differ?

and no doubt those who want the prayer gone will revel in the aborigines doing their hulo hulo at the start of a new Parliament.

Aborigines are real, Gods aren't.
If you want to dance at the opening of parliament I will not try and stop you. You can also pray as long as i am not paying your wages while you do so.

Such a fuss over an anachronistic ritual.

I have a problem with the basic underlying concept put forward by the complainers that this rite is somehow "offensive".

In the same way that I (an atheist to my bootstraps) listen politely every time a formal session is opened with a "recognition of the owners of the land", I would, if I were a politician, afford the same courtesy to the harmless ceremonial mumbling of the Lord's Prayer.

The act of "taking offence" has reached epidemic proportions in our society, and it is about time it stopped. Are we such weak, feeble and vulnerable folk that we allow these petty trifles to cause us harm?

Because if no harm is being caused, then we should simply accept that no offence has been committed, and be adult about the whole thing.

More than a century ago France enshrined secularism, the separation of church and state. The idea is that religion is a private affair.
In recent weeks France released a secular charter for all schools to remind pupils and teachers of the country's secular, Republican principles.
Religion may be important to individuals and their churches, especially in countries that espouse a single religion, such as in many Islamic countries.
But religion and religious chants should be private - not public - affairs, and France is a shining example of this.
Australian governments, and agencies such as courts, should follow the French example. You can't have equality if the state embraces one religion over another. And you can't expect people who are not religious to say prayers they don't believe in.
I see no place for the Lord's Prayer in affairs of government in Australia. Besides, it has hardly raised the standard of morality and honesty for politicians or for anyone else for that matter.