Folau “looking forward” to stronger religious freedom laws
Image: Israel Folau. Image: file photo.
Former rugby player Israel Folau said he’s “looking forward” to the federal government passing stronger religious freedom laws, after reaching a settlement with Rugby Australia over his homophobic comments.
In a video posted to his website on Wednesday, Folau said he felt “vindicated” by the settlement and hoped to see expanded religious freedom laws in future.
“With today’s acknowledgment and apology by Rugby Australia, we have been vindicated and can now move on with our lives to focus on our faith and our family,” Folau said.
“We now look forward to the federal government enacting the legislation necessary to further protect and strengthen these rights for all Australians.”
Australian Christian Lobby spokesperson Martin Iles said the settlement “sets a clear precedent for every bureaucrat, manager, or person in a position of power, that they cannot ruin someone’s career because they don’t like what they believe”.
“We look forward to the federal government producing reforms that prevent taxing and drawn-out legal processes like this in future,” Iles said.
While Folau’s payout is confidential, the Daily Telegraph reported the figure to be $8 million and The Australian reported it to be “several million dollars”. Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle tweeted that the reports are “wildly inaccurate”.
In a press conference today, she defended Rugby Australia’s decision to terminate Folau’s contract and reach a confidential settlement.
“We didn’t get it wrong. At the end of the day we stood up for the values of Rugby Australia,” Castle said.
“The person that chose to breach the code of conduct was found guilty and his contract was ultimately terminated because of that. That stands up and continues to say, ‘This is an inclusive sport.’ Behaviour and commentary of this type is not acceptable in our sport and everybody in rugby needs to be included, regardless of what their background is.”
She added that “there was an apology both ways” as both parties expressed their regret in a joint statement.
“That apology was both ways because this has been very stressful, it’s been a very hard time for the Folaus and it’s a very hard time for Rugby Australia. At the end of the day, it was about that difficult time that Rugby Australia apologised for, but we stand by our decision that we have been through,” Castle said.
This week, Folau became embroiled in another legal battle over his anti-gay comments, with Sydney gay activist Garry Burns suing him for $100,000.
In his submission to the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board, Burns said Folau’s linking of homosexuality to natural disasters was “objectively capable of incitement of contempt and/or hatred of homosexual persons”.
Burns successfully sued radio broadcaster John Laws for $10,000 in 2004 over anti-gay comments and is known for lodging anti-discrimination complaints using the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977.
When Folau is “preaching” to his “congregation”(his family members) he must have forgotten to read ROMANS 16-17-18,which fits him perfectly. I hope the religious freedom laws don’t encourage crackpots like him.
Imagine Folau reaches the pearly gates, St Peter rolls his eyes & points out he should have stayed supporting the Homosexuals in 2014 & points to the elevator that descends to the basement.
So Folau can now curl up with his comic books and keep preaching his obscure “false religion” to anyone who listens.
Yawn.
This just paints the idiot Liberals further into the corner.
The draft bill they’ve put out would have made it easier, not harder, for Rugby Australia to sack Folau. Remember the timeline. Folau had shit to say about various groups including gay people and Catholics at the pulpit in his church and this was circulated on video on social meda. Rugby Australia did nothing, presumably because there’s an existing reasonable interpretation of the constitution which protected Folau’s religious activities.
Rugby Australia only took action when Folau got onto Instagram, outside of the official church grounds.
Under the Lib’s existing bill, Rugby Australia could have sacked Folau when the social media videos went up on the basis it was costing them revenue (easily demonstrated).
The churches hate the Libs’ bill. The Folau supporters won’t be fans either.
But who cares what they think, it just turns out that sensibly minded progressive individuals also hate the Libs’ bill, for entirely different but nevertheless excellent reasons.
Just quit it, Libs. Withdraw the bill, it’s helping nobody.