Heated clash unfolds after Essendon CEO’s resignation after one day on the job

Victorian opposition leader Matthew Guy has blasted the “ridiculous” resignation of Andrew Thorburn as Essendon CEO after one day.

Victorian opposition leader Matthew Guy has blasted the “ridiculous” resignation of Andrew Thorburn as Essendon Football Club’s CEO after one day.

Speaking to 3AW on Wednesday morning, Mr Guy hit out at Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews for his role in Mr Thorburn’s decision to leave the role so he could maintain his chairman position at City on a Hill church.

Mr Thorburn he handed in his resignation following widespread backlash to his appointment over his association with the church, which previously condemned homosexuality and holds divisive views around abortion.

“Football clubs can hire who they choose – I don’t see, if I was the Premier, why I would be telling people who they can hire and fire,” Mr Guy said.

“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.”

Mr Andrews – a paid-up club member – had earlier on Tuesday that Bombers fans had another reason to be “somewhat disappointed” with the club, describing the church’s views as “absolutely appalling”, “hatred” and “bigotry”.

It comes after a heated breakfast television clash played out on Wednesday morning.

The discussion on the Today program became heated when Queensland Senator Matt Canavan and editor of Stellar and Body and Soul magazine Sarrah Le Marquand were asked about the controversy.

Mr Canavan argued Mr Thorburn’s resignation was an example of Essendon Football Club being “not very diverse or inclusive”.

“They use these words and they market these labels but they’re effectively saying that, if you’re Christian, if you hold Christian beliefs you, you are not welcome at their club,” Mr Canavan told the program.

“That is exactly what they’re saying. I don’t quite understand why someone’s religious beliefs hurts another person.”

Queensland Senator Matt Canavan said Andrew Thorburn’s resignation showed Essendon was ‘not inclusive’. Picture: Today

He also referenced the statement issued by Mr Thorburn on Tuesday that outlined his extensive “leadership record”, having formerly been the chief executive at NAB.

“As Andrew said in his statement, he’s been CEO of very large organisations and always been accepting of other people’s views but it’s got to be a two-way street in our country, in our community, we have to accept everyone’s view, even if we disagree with them,” Mr Canavan argued.

“Hurt feelings should not lead to people losing their jobs. And good on to Andrew Thorburn for having the courage to stick by his religious convictions, giving up what is his dream job and we need to stand up against the bullies who tell us what we can believe.”

Mr Thorburn’s church has an article on its website from 2013 titled ‘Surviving Same Sex Attraction as a Christian’.

While he distanced himself from those views, he said he anticipated the public backlash after “little firestorms” surrounding his faith in previous jobs.

Ms Le Marquand rejected Mr Canavan’s view that people could not be Christian and hold a CEO position, arguing it simply was “not true at all”, and the club would be “betraying” its supporters by keeping Mr Thorburn on.

She said while it would be “immoral” to ask someone about their religious beliefs in an interview process and religious freedom was “really important” in Australia, Mr Thorburn had not sought to retreat from “hurtful” commentary surrounding abortion and same-sex relationships.

“I agree with you, Matt, that we have to have a country where people have their own views [and] religious freedom is really important. But what is the issue here is are those particular views that he endorses by being the head of the church, it doesn’t matter whether he is explicitly parroted those views.

Sarrah Le Marquand said Mr Thorburn’s association with a church with such ‘hurtful’ views was the problem, not the fact he is Christian. Picture: Today

“He has not sought to regress or retreat from that commentary, it’s really hurtful. His values are out of line with the values of the footy club. They’re out of line with fans of the game. It’s not inclusive and it is hurtful. And we can’t pretend that having these views doesn’t hurt people. It does hurt people, Matt.”

Ms Le Marquand’s argument was cut short by Mr Canavan, who interjected to accuse her of “not being inclusive”.

She went on to argue the “right to abortion is really fundamental in this country”.

“To be comparing it to a concentration camp is extremely hurtful to vulnerable people. They have unacceptable views, not because they’re religious views,” she said.

Mr Canavan claimed “a lot of people” in Australia “don’t agree with abortion”, and identified himself as one.

“I think it is the termination of a life. Those are uncomfortable views and I realise why it might be hard but if we are going to be a democracy you have to accept some people have different views from time to time,” he said.

The clash came after Mr Thorburn’s resignation on Tuesday. Picture: Today

“And that is fime. I am fine if someone has a different view. But if we go around sacking people who have different views we will not have a democracy.”

He went further to say he thought it was “very regrettable” people were “being sacked because of their religious”.

“And just something Sarrah said before – who does get to be the arbiter of what is a respectable religious view and what is not? I mean, some of these views that have been expressed are contained within the ‘Bible’, and I swear an oath on that Bible when I became an Australian Senator.”

Ms Le Marquand responded saying it should be the Australian people that decide on such matters, “and that includes the followers and the footy lovers”.

“We have seen evidence that people feel that a club is betraying them and piling in on them if it’s seen to be endorsing these homophobic and anti-women views,” she said.

“I don’t really care what Daniel Andrews said. I think it’s up to lover of football.”