Andrew Thorburn quits church after Essendon saga

Andrew Thorburn is now quitting the church that led to his sacking at Essendon just days after sources revealed his “olive branch” to the AFL club.

Andrew Thorburn is quitting the church that cost him his job at Essendon.

The 24-hour chief executive will walk away from all board roles from February, including City on a Hill church.

”Andrew will be stepping down from all his formal responsibilities, effective February 2023,” a statement said.

“He will be taking a year off to spend time with family, and to rest and reflect.”

Mr Thorburn sparked a national debate when he resigned from the Bombers in October.

The club had given him an ultimatum to pick between his church and the club.

Mr Thorburn, 57, will become a grandfather next year and wanted to spend more time with his family.

The news comes after a new twist emerged in Essendon’s Thorburn saga, after he asked to come back to the club as a volunteer.

The multi-millionaire former bank boss hired lawyers after he was forced out of the top job at the Bombers.

But instead of filing legal papers for unfair dismissal, Mr Thorburn has been negotiating a possible return to the club.

Sources with knowledge of the matter but who could not speak publicly said that he wanted a volunteer or advisory role.

“He loves the club, he just wants to come back,” a source said.

“It’s an olive branch.”

Andrew Thorburn has been negotiating a return to Essendon as a volunteer, sources say.

However, the club has been reluctant to agree to Mr Thorburn’s request for fear of a backlash, a source added.

There were concerns that some players would walk out if Mr Thorburn, 57, returned after it was revealed he chaired a church with homophobic views.

Mr Thorburn’s appointment created a national debate when the Herald Sun’s Sam Landsberger revealed just hours before the Bombers best and fairest he was on the board of City on a Hill church.

The church had a sermon on its website that compared abortion to the Holocaust, which it later removed, and called homosexuality a sin.

The sermons were available to be found through four clicks on a Google search, but high-priced Ernst & Young consultants tasked by Essendon to do background checks did not discover them.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the views of the City of a Hill church “absolutely appalling”. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews slammed the views of the church “absolutely appalling” in a press conference on the morning after the Herald Sun’s revelation, spinning Essendon into crisis mode.

The club gave Mr Thorburn an ultimatum to choose between his role at the church and the Essendon job, which came with a salary of more than $850,000 per year.

Sources claim Mr Thorburn had at one point considered dropping the church, but later that day decided to leave the Essendon role.

The decision divided Australia, with Mr Thorburn claiming his right to freedom of religion had been curtailed.

Former Prime Minister John Howard weighed in, criticising Mr Andrews for attacking Mr Thorburn.

“I thought the treatment of Mr Thorburn was disgraceful, it can’t be excused, it can’t be explained away,” Mr Howard said at the time.

Former prime minister John Howard believes the treatment of Mr Thorburn was “disgraceful”. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Mr Thorburn first engaged lawyers within days of quitting Essendon in October but has not filed any claims in a court.

Mr Thorburn was paid $2.4 million a year when he was running NAB, which he left in February 2019 following a scathing Royal Commission report into the bank’s practices.

Mr Thorburn said when he quit the bank that he always “acted with integrity.”

“I acknowledge that the bank has sustained damage as a result of its past practices and comments in the Royal Commission’s final report about them.” he said at the time.

“As CEO, I understand accountability. I have always sought to act in the best interests of the bank and customers and I know that I have always acted with integrity.”

Essendon appointed former West Coast insider Craig Vozzo as chief executive in December.

Mr Thorburn declined to comment.

Essendon was contacted for comment.