GoFundMe boss speaks out as Magda Szubanski launches rival campaign

The GoFundMe boss said Folau’s site was flagged as high risk within hours of going live as Magda Szubanksi launches a rival campaign.

The GoFundMe boss has defended his company’s decision to remove Israel Folau’s fundraising page, as comedian Magda Szubanski launches a rival page called “For Love.”

Chief Executive Rob Solomon said Folau’s original request for donations was flagged as “high risk” within hours of going live with donations refunded in full.

He told News Corp Australia it was noted as “high risk” of violating its policies but said the company was “wide open for business” for religious causes.

“To some people it might not be crystal clear that this is a violation, while others may have a different interpretation,” Mr Solomon said.

“Internally, we take it very seriously. We don’t want to rush to judgment. We want to factor in everything and everything is reviewed with a multi-tiered assessment of our policy.”

It comes as campaigner Magda Szubanski launched a rival GoFundMe site called “For Love” in response to the Folau saga.

Speaking on The Project on Tuesday evening, Szubanski said she hopes to raise $500,000 for charity through the multi-faith initiative.

“Some friends and I had a feeling — I can’t believe I’m up here talking about this stuff again. I would love to leave this subject behind,” Szubanksi said.

“We would like to have a response to Israel Folau that’s not combative. It’s an interfaith group, it’s comprised of Catholics, Muslims, Jews, aethiests and LGBTQI people and we’ve started a GoFundMe called “For Love”.

“We hope to raise $500,000, 10 per cent of which will go to Twenty10 which is an organisation I’m the patron of. It works a lot with kids often from diverse backgrounds who are kicked out of home because of, you know, basically because of their sexuality.”

READ: Folau donations reach $1 million

Folau’s controversial campaign was pulled from GoFundMe’s site on Monday, but the Australian Christian Lobby had a new page set up by Monday evening which had raised more than $1 million in 24 hours.

But as the donations fly in, the saga continues to split the country with most of the criticism centred around Folau’s plea for $3 million despite amassing millions of dollars during his career to go along with an extensive property portfolio.

Magda Szubanski on The Project.

A day after The Project ’s Waleed Aly questioned “what exactly has been achieved” by GoFundMe cutting his campaign, the issue was raised once again on the program on Tuesday night.

Szubanski said she had reached out to Folau to have a conversation but received no response.

“I’d love to have a conversation with him, I’ve made that offer on Twitter and nothing ever happened, but we have got this GoFundMe campaign happening,” she told the panel.

“Please give because the other 90 per cent, we want to show what a group of people of interfaith and different sexualities can do when they bring the best values of their faith forward and 90 per cent of the money we raise will go to the children’s Cancer Foundation.

“We want to try and actually change the dialogue and actually show there are a lot of people from diverse faiths who can get along and who cannot only get along, but do something productive rather than destructive and not self-serving.

READ: GoFundMe underestimated one thing

“A small percentage of this will go to help kids, because a lot of people will still be upset by this you know, and the remaining amount will go to, I mean, they’re saying Israel Folau is in the fight of his life, but these kids with cancer they are in the fight of their life and we want to help them.

“If you want to counter that message of and you want to put something forward really positive, please donate and get involved, thank you.”

A statement from Twenty10 Co-Executive Director Jain Moralee stated how “thrilled” the organisation was by the campaign.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be included as a beneficiary in this fundraising campaign. It sends such a strong message of solidarity and hope when Australian’s come together to help diverse communities in need,” the statement said.

Magda starts her own GoFundMe to support the Children’s Cancer Foundation, and Twenty10, which provides health, legal, and housing services to people of diverse sexualities and gender identities. #TheProjectTV Click the link- https://t.co/83TrTDTobT pic.twitter.com/MQUct1qpr6

— The Project (@theprojecttv) June 25, 2019

Folau has launched legal proceedings with the Fair Work Commission, and is seeking up to $10 million in damages after his contract was terminated in May over Instagram posts claiming “hell awaits” gay people.