Anthony Albanese has objected to Scott Morrison’s claim that he has been called upon to do God’s work in a speech to an evangelical conference.
On Tuesday the Labor leader said that although he had “no intention of making comments on the prime minister’s faith” he objected to “the idea that God is on any political side”.
Albanese said that “for me faith is a personal matter. I respect people’s own beliefs but it is also important we have a separation here between church and state”.
“I have no intention of making comments on the prime minister’s faith, that is a matter for him,” Albanese told Radio National.
“I think that the separation of church and state is important.
“I think that the idea that god is on any political side is no more respectful than the idea that when someone’s sporting team wins it is because of some divine intervention.”
On Monday Guardian Australia reported that Morrison asked the Australian Christian Churches conference on the Gold Coast last week to help him help Australia, including through the power of prayer.
Morrison shared a story about asking God for a sign before visiting the Ken Duncan Gallery on the New South Wales Central Coast during the final fortnight of the 2019 election campaign.
“I must admit I was saying to myself, ‘You know, Lord, where are you, where are you? I’d like a reminder if that’s OK,’” Morrison said.
“And there right in front of me was the biggest picture of a soaring eagle that I could imagine and of course the verse hit me.
“The message I got that day was, ‘Scott, you’ve got to run to not grow weary, you’ve got to walk to not grow faint, you’ve got to spread your wings like an eagle to soar like an eagle.’”
Morrison also revealed that when he became prime minister, his pastor gave him the advice on election night to “use what God has put in your hands … to do what God has put in your heart”.
The video, which was broadcast by Vineyard Christian church then distributed by the Rationalist Society, gives rare insight into Morrison’s personal religious practice and the beliefs that guide him and the rapidly growing Pentecostal movement in Australia. Morrison’s comments echo his victory speech on election night, which he described as a “miracle”.
Following the report, a spokesman for the prime minister said the usual transport and security protocols were followed for the event “as they are for any event the prime minister attends.”
“The prime minister was invited to address Tuesday night’s event the same as he attends many other stakeholder events, including for other religious groups such as the Copts, Maronites, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim,” the spokesperson said.
While Australians are familiar with the non-evangelical Christian beliefs of John Howard, Kevin Rudd, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull, Morrison is the first Pentecostal Christian to hold the office.
Morrison has been open about his faith, inviting journalists into the Horizon church in the Sutherland shire during the 2019 election campaign.
Footage of him calling for prayers for state and territory leaders and committing the Australian nation to God also emerged in April 2020 at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic.