Footy controversy sparks religious freedom debate

Should alignment with a church that opposes LGBTQ+ rights have forced Andrew Thorburn to resign as chief executive of Essendon AFL Club?

The chief executive of the Essendon Football Club, Andrew Thorburn, was forced to resigned just one day after being appointed to the role last week, after it emerged that his church has published a series of articles critical of homosexuality and abortion.

Thorburn, former chief executive of National Australia Bank, is chair of the City on a Hill church, whose pastor has published sermons condemning abortion as "murder" and homosexuality as a sin.

Some members of Essendon argued the appointment was not consistent with the club’s commitment to diversity and LGBTQ+ inclusion.

While Thorburn has made no statements about LGBTQ+ issues, his role as chair of the church meant he was publicly implicated in its stated positions.

Thorburn argued that his faith was “a very personal thing” which did not stand in the way of his leading a diverse club.

“I’m not a pastor. My job in a governance role is to make sure it’s run well. I don’t always agree with what’s said, but in a way that’s not the point.

“If you want a diverse society it also means there’s going to be people with different views. And I think as we go forward in Australia, it’s not whether those views exist – because they do – the question for harmony is whether we can coexist and hear each other and respect each other’s views. It’s that point around ‘I disagree with what you say, but I defend your right to say it’,” he told Fox Sports.