One of Australia’s most senior Anglican leaders says Israel Folau’s right to express his faith is being denied, claiming the former Wallaby star’s treatment “smacks of a new and ugly Australia”.
The Archbishop of Sydney, Glenn Davies, says Folau’s right to express his faith and act according to his conscience is of “fundamental importance in any democracy”.
“It is of great concern to many Australians that this right is being denied and vilified,” Davies said in a statement on Tuesday.
Folau has been trying to raise money to fund his legal battle against Rugby Australia, which terminated his $4m contract in May.
The Australian Christian Lobby set up a fundraising effort on its website for the former Wallabies starafter his GoFundMe page was shut down. By lunch time on Tuesday it had raised over $700,000. The group also committed to tip in $100,000 to Folau’s legal challenge.
“On behalf of the Australian Christian Lobby, I have spoken to Israel Folau to let him know that ACL will be donating $100,000 to his legal defence, because it’s right and it sets an important legal precedent,” the ACL’s managing director, Martyn Iles, said on the website, which set its fundraising target at $3m.
Davies said while there are deeply held views on both sides of the issue, “at the moment, only one side is being heard”.
“The way in which Folau’s motives have been impugned and his avenues of support have been cut off smacks of a new and ugly Australia where dissent from narrow cultural views is not tolerated,” he said.
RA’s decision came after Folau posted a biblical passage on social media which said “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters” would go to hell unless they repented.
Folau said he had been the victim of discrimination on religious grounds and set up the GoFundMe page, which raised more than $750,000 in about four days.
But on Monday GoFundMe took the page down, citing a breach of its terms of service and announcing it would issue refunds to the more than 7,000 donors.
“While we welcome GoFundMe’s engaging in diverse civil debate, we do not tolerate the promotion of discrimination or exclusion,” said GoFundMe Australia’s regional manager, Nicola Britton.
A spokesman for Folau denied his campaign was incompatible with GoFundMe’s terms of service: “Unfortunately, GoFundMe has buckled to demands against the freedom of Australians to donate to his cause,” the spokesman said.
“There appears to be a continuing campaign of discrimination against Israel and his supporters.”
Folau’s wife, the star netball player Maria, shared his plea for funds on her Instagram account but Netball New Zealand on Tuesday confirmed they would not take any action against her as she had not breached any of its policies.
The governing body said it “values inclusion and diversity across all areas of the community and our sport whether its gender, ethnicity, socio economic status, sexuality, religion, and we take responsibility as role models for young New Zealanders very seriously.
“We acknowledge that people have differing views and beliefs. It is important those opinions and views are expressed in constructive and respectful ways.”
ANZ, one of NZN’s major sponsors, said it did not share Maria’s views and that it had made its position known to the organisation.
“ANZ NZ believes in diversity and inclusion,” ANZ spokesman Stefan Herrick said. “But we will continue to support Netball NZ and the tens of thousands of participants and supporters of the game.”
Folau has launched legal proceedings with the Fair Work Commission against RA and is seeking up to $10m in damages.