Guy said Andrews should not be telling the Bombers who to appoint as chief executive after the premier said on Tuesday there were “many reasons to be a disappointed Essendon supporter” when asked if he was disappointed by Thorburn’s appointment.
“What are we now banning people from going to church,banning people from going to a synagogue,banning people from going to a mosque? This is ridiculous,” Guy said on 3AW on Wednesday.
Responding to Guy’s criticism,Andrews said on Wednesday he had simply answered a question and had been a long-standing supporter of LGBTQ and abortion rights.
When asked whether Thorburn’s resignation showed people with conservative religious beliefs needed to hide their opinions in a public role,Andrews said:“No. They might want to have a think about whether they want to be a bit more kind-hearted. A bit more inclusive. Aren’t we all God’s children?”
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Andrews added he would renew his Essendon membership,and he did not have a role in Thorburn’s appointment or resignation as it was a matter for Essendon’s board alone.
As Essendon begins the search for a new chief executive,former president Paul Little also criticised the club’s current management,while prominent employment lawyer Josh Bornstein said Thorburn could have a legal case for religious discrimination.
Essendon president David Barham said on Tuesday he asked Thorburn to choose between his positions at the church and Essendon after the club learnt of the church’s sermons. Barham said the church’s public views were in “direct contradiction” to the Bombers’ values.
Thorburnreleased a statement on Tuesday evening that said he was being asked to compromise “beyond a level his conscience allowed”.
“Today it became clear to me that my personal Christian faith is not tolerated or permitted in the public square,at least by some and perhaps by many,” he said.
“People should be able to hold different views on complex personal and moral matters,and be able to live and work together,even with those differences,and always with respect.”
Little,who led the Bombers during the supplements scandal from 2013 to 2015,said he felt the pain of Essendon supporters after a tumultuous period which includeda late,ill-fated bid for Alastair Clarkson to replace Ben Rutten as coach,which led to the latter’s departure.
Thorburn’s predecessor,Xavier Campbell,alsoleft the club following Rutten’s sacking,while former president Paul Brasher departed the board alongside ex-players Simon Madden and Sean Wellman. Peter Allen will also step down in December.
“The mistakes that are being made — there are just too many,quite frankly,” Little told ABC Radio Melbourne.
“We all want,as supporters and members,we want a professional Essendon Football Club that is well run and well managed.
Paul Little in 2015 in his then role as Essendon president,with then coach James Hird.Credit:Eddie Jim
“And to be quite honest,when Paul Brasher was chair and Xavier Campbell was CEO,I think there was a high level of faith in that level of professionalism. At the moment,that seems to be missing.”
Bornstein also said on ABC Radio Melbourne that Thorburn could have a legal case for religious discrimination against Essendon.
“Based off[media reports] there’s a prima facie case of religious discrimination,” Bornstein said.
“If you say our values are that we don’t want to employ people who are gay or don’t like having women working for us who are pregnant ... then your values or your contracts or policies may run headlong into discrimination law.”
Bornstein said Thorburn’s resignation was similar toIsrael Folau’s sacking from Rugby Australia after the rugby star expressed homophobic views on social media,which he said were his religious beliefs.
Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne Peter Comensoli told 3AW he would not renew his Essendon membership,as there had been “a rejection of so many other people of faith by their actions”.
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“I think there is a very genuine question of the religious expression of someone being very seriously undermined in their employment and in their future prospects,” Comensoli said.
Comensoli said he was not homophobic,but he didn’t accept gay marriage “as a sacrament of the church”.
On Tuesday,Jason Tuazon-McCheyne,the founder of Essendon LGBTQI supporter group Purple Bombers,said Thorburn’s resignation was a “good outcome” as the views of his church didn’t match the club’s vision of being the most inclusive in the AFL.
Thorburn’s appointment also drew scrutiny given he wasleading the club’s external review,which included the task of appointing the next CEO.