By Jon Pierik and Caroline Schelle
Essendon’s tumultuous off-season has continued, with new CEO Andrew Thorburn resigning only a day after his role was confirmed.
Thorburn’s appointment at the end of a dramatic season for the club had generated unwanted headlines, primarily because he is also chairman of the City on a Hill church movement.
The new Essendon boss came under significant criticism due to his role with the controversial church. In sermons published on its website, the church likens abortion to a concentration camp, and says practising homosexuality is a sin.
Thorburn, also a former NAB chief executive, had admitted the church has views which are offensive and upsetting to some, but insisted his business record showed he was welcoming and endorsed diversity.
At a hastily arranged press conference on Tuesday evening, Essendon president David Barham said he had checked Thorburn’s references thoroughly.
“There was no reason to think he wasn’t a suitable candidate,” Barham said.
Essendon president David Barham has had a dramatic start to his tenure, the latest controversy leading to new club chief executive Andrew Thorburn stepping down.Credit: Nine
Thorburn was not aware of the sermons published on the website, and neither was the club, he said.
“He [Thorburn] didn’t know they were there, so it was hard for us to find them,” Barham said.
When asked about his own position, Barham said he had the right attitude and mindset to carry the club forward through the current shake-up.
“We’ve had a couple of missteps but, at the end of the day, we’re sticking to our guns we need to reshape this footy club,” Barham said.
“As soon as the comments relating to a 2013 sermon from a pastor, at the City of the Hill church came to light this morning, we acted immediately to clarify the publicly espoused views on the organisation’s official website, which are in direct contradiction to our values as a club.
“Essendon is committed to providing an inclusive, diverse and a safe club, where everyone is welcome and respected.
“The board made clear that, despite these not being views that Andrew Thorburn has expressed personally and that were also made prior to him taking up his role as chairman, he couldn’t continue to serve in his dual roles at the Essendon Football Club and as chairman of City on the Hill.”
Thorburn released a statement which said he was being asked to compromise “beyond a level his conscience allowed”.
“Today it became clear to me that my personal Christian faith is not tolerated or permitted in the public square, at least by some and perhaps by many,” he said in the statement.
“People should be able to hold different views on complex personal and moral matters, and be able to live and work together, even with those differences, and always with respect.”
But the church’s stance on abortion and homosexuality was criticised by Victorian premier Daniel Andrews and the Bombers’ LGBTQI supporter group.
Andrews, a Bombers supporter, had a strong response when asked on Tuesday about the views expressed by Thorburn’s church, but acknowledged the CEO’s appointment was a matter for Essendon’s board.
Andrew Thorburn has stepped down as Essendon chief executive, coming after premier Daniel Andrews criticised the beliefs of a church Thorburn is chairman of.Credit: Eddie Jim, Alex Ellinghausen
“Those views are absolutely appalling. I don’t support those views; that kind of intolerance, that kind of hatred, bigotry is just wrong,” Andrews said.
“All of you know my views on these things. Those sort of attitudes are simply wrong, and to dress that up as anything other than bigotry is just obviously false.”
However, the premier said he would continue as an Essendon member next season.
Thorburn’s personal beliefs were likely to upset the Bombers’ AFLW side, which preaches diversity and inclusiveness, as well as the Purple Bombers, the club’s official LGBTQI supporter group.
Purple Bombers founder Jason Tuazon-McCheyne said the new boss’s views didn’t match the club’s vision of being the most inclusive in the AFL.
Tuazon-McCheyne, who founded the group in 2014, and said it made little sense for Thorburn to represent two organisations with very different value systems.
Tuazon-McCheyne said Thorburn’s resignation late on Tuesday came as a surprise.
“I did not expect it, I knew getting him to resign from the church would be difficult, I did not expect him to resign from the club,” said Tuazon-McCheyne.
“It’s the right decision. Andrew made the correct decision for himself and the football club, but I did not expect him to choose the church. We’re very relieved as a result. This is a good outcome.”
Thorburn, who had been due to start his new role on November 1, insisted his record showed he was “inclusive and welcoming and caring and diverse”.
“Let me be clear - I love all people, and have always promoted and lived an inclusive, diverse, respectful and supportive workplace - where people are welcomed regardless of their culture, religious beliefs, and sexual orientation,” Thorburn said.
“I believe my record over a long period of time testifies to this. Despite my own leadership record, within hours of my appointment being announced, the media and leaders of our community had spoken. They made it clear that my Christian faith and my association with a church are unacceptable in our culture if you wish to hold a leadership position in society.”
Credit: Matt Golding
Under Barham, the Bombers had hoped their off-season dramas were over, with Brad Scott appointed new coach and Thorburn replacing Xavier Campbell, who stepped down after the sacking of coach Ben Rutten. But the club must now begin a new search for another CEO.
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