Nel and Tim Minchin: Why we need to talk about Israel Folau

Tim Minchin’s “brilliant” sister Nel is behind a watershed documentary on one of Australia’s most controversial athletes. As atheists and lefties, their thoughts on Izzy may surprise you.

Tim Minchin doesn’t hate Israel Folau, and he doesn’t anyone should.

The notoriously outspoken musician, actor, and writer told Confidential he’s “as cross with the radical left as [he] is with the radical right,” because they both make the same mistake of dehumanising the other.

“My feelings about Folau would surprise a lot of my fans,” he said. “I don’t agree with his ideas, but I don’t hate him.”

“I do think we have to not dehumanise people who have different upbringings than us.”

Minchin’s “brilliant” sister Nel is behind a Folau documentary which traces the career of the former Wallabies star, who kickstarted a political and ideological storm with his homophobic tweets first posted during the marriage equality campaign that led to his sacking by Rugby Australia in 2019.

Tim Minchin and Nel Minchin. Picture: Supplied.

“The backlash against woke is inevitable and deserved, in a way,” Tim added. “Because good left liberal ideas have been distorted by public-shaming, self-serving, narcissistic people who think they have a right to scream at anyone who disagrees with them.

“Even if you’re offended by his ideas. He’s offended by yours. What’re you gonna do? Scream at each other across Twitter? How’re you going to move forward?”

Nel Minchin is the writer and director of the new documentary. Picture: Supplied

Musician Tim Minchin is one of Australia’s most famous left-wing figures. Picture: Foxtel/Brett Costello

Speaking to Confidential, Nel said she took on the project because she was curious about what could be uncovered by a holistic examination of the effects Folau’s actions had on culture, faith, sexuality, politics, and sport.

“We made a lot of cold calls for this story,” she said. “People are really worried to weigh in on it publicly because of how divisive it was, and how much hatred was spouted from both sides of the debate. We found it quite hard to talk to people, including Israel, who declined to be interviewed.”

Interviewees asked: ‘Why are you bringing this up? It was a really traumatic time.’

Nel’s answer is: “It may have been an issue in the past, but it’s not one that has gone away. We only need to look at Manly Pride. So we do need to work out how to talk to each other in a more constructive way.”

Nel Minchin’s documentary examines Israel Folau’s story in all its multilayered complexity, featuring crucial Pasifika voices and exploring the nexus between freedom of religion and speech, protection from discrimination for the LGBTQIA+ community, and how far the workplace can reasonably go to balance the two. Picture: AAP Image/Craig Golding.

Samu Kerevi, a Wallaby who did support Folau in his argument, went on the record, as did Dan Palmer, a Wallaby with a similar background to the Minchins’ (White, atheist), who is also gay.

“Every single person I spoke to who knows Folau personally has told me that he is a really nice person, to work with, to play with, and that comes from both sides of the fence,” Nel said.

“But I hope the people who supported Folau wholeheartedly also see this film as an opportunity to understand the ramifications that support had on queer people who’ve grown up in religious communities.”

As the parent of a 15-year-old gay daughter, it’s an issue close to Tim’s heart. “I don’t think it should be the job of a gay person to put up with homophobia, but if you can a bit, you’ll have more success,” he said. “I’m bringing her up to think ‘that person’s not very educated’, when she gets hate. I don’t have short answers, but I do think as soon as you scream at someone, you forgo the opportunity to teach.”

The first part of the documentary was originally set to air on Monday, November 21, but an ABC spokeswoman said it has been “rescheduled” while makers finish clearing the footage: “A new transmission date will be announced shortly.”