The Israel Folau saga looks set to have after-effects in politics, with conservative coalition MPs calling for stronger religious freedom laws, it was reported in late May.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is pushing for religious beliefs to be exempt from employment contracts. ‘You can’t bring people’s faith beliefs into a contract’, Joyce said. ‘Your own views on who God is, where God is, or whether there’s a God should remain your own personal views and not part of any contractual obligation.’
Joyce added that such a law shouldn’t be nicknamed Folau’s Law as it ‘should be designed for everybody’.
As part of an election promise, Attorney-General Christian Porter is due to bring a Religious Discrimination Act to the Australian Parliament in July.
Folau revealed that he is seeking ‘substantial remedies’ after being sacked. He is claiming his employment was unlawfully terminated. ‘No Australian of any faith should be fired for practising their religion’, Folau said.
‘Ours is an amazing country built on important principles, including freedom of religion. A nation made up of so many different faiths and cultural backgrounds will never be truly rich unless this freedom applies to all of us’, Folau added.
Rugby Australia and New South Wales Rugby later issued a joint statement which stressed that Folau had been sacked ‘because of a serious breach of the Professional Players Code of Conduct’.
Folau’s younger brother John was also under contract with the Waratahs. After the incident he left the team permanently.
