The MLAs vying for the Canberra Liberals leadership sat at opposite ends of two church pews at today’s service to mark the start of the Legislative Assembly year.
The controversial service, which is a first for the ACT, was boycotted by more than half of the Legislative Assembly. But all Liberal MLAs attended.
The man most likely to come out of this afternoon's party room ballot as the Liberals new leader, Opposition whip Alistair Coe, sat in the front row at St Paul’s in Manuka with incumbent deputy Brendan Smyth. Speaker Vicki Dunne and new Brindabella MLA Andrew Wall sat on the same pew.
Across the aisle were education spokesman Steve Doszpot, Molonglo MLA Giulia Jones and outgoing opposition leader Zed Seselja. And at the end of the pew sat the person once thought Mr Seselja's heir apparent as leader, Jeremy Hanson, with his wife, Fleur.
Mr Hanson had been seen as the frontrunner to take over from Mr Seselja in Monday’s ballot, but party insiders and ACT Senator Gary Humphries say Mr Coe and Mr Smyth will be the party’s new leadership team.
The Canberra Liberals caucus will meet at 12.30 today to choose the party’s new leader and deputy.
Monday’s controversial service was not attended by the Chief Minister Katy Gallagher, Labor MLAs or Greens Minister Shane Rattenbury.
Representatives for Canberra’s Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Russian Orthodox and Bahai communities entered the service in a procession with Mrs Dunne and Mr Seselja and later offered greetings and prayers for Assembly members.
In a speech to the crowd of mostly Canberra Liberals members, Mr Seselja called for the “separation of church and state”.
“I am one of those who is a big believer in the separation of church and state,” Mr Seselja said.
“I will continue to argue that no one should have religion imposed on them, we should keep the separation of church and state."
But Mr Seselja said there was still “an important role” for religion and faith-based organisations in the public square.
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