Penny Wong’s message for Israel Folau: Gay senator calls on embattled rugby star to consider how his words impact ‘vulnerable Australians’
- Penny Wong weighed in on the Israel Folau debate on ABC’s Q&A on Monday
- The senator does not agree with his beliefs but believes he is entitled to them
- She called for public figures to be wary of how words can affect the vulnerable
- Wong is an openly-gay senator for South Australia and opposition leader
Penny Wong has sent out an emotional message to Israel Folau asking him to be wary of how his words can affect ‘vulnerable Australians.’
The openly gay South Australian senator weighed in on the religious freedom debate during a Q&A session on ABC on Monday night.
The panel took a question from an audience member who asked if the country would still be considering a religious freedom bill if Israel Folau was Muslim rather than Christian.
‘I wish that we could have more expressions of love and forgiveness rather than condemnation when it came to belief,’ Ms Wong, 50, told the audience.
‘And I wish that public figures, politicians, sporting stars… may consider for a moment where their words land in vulnerable Australians.’
South Australian Senator Penny Wong delivered an emotional and diplomatic message to Israel Folau amid controversy over religious freedom
The former Wallabies player (pictured left with wife Maria) saw his $4million contract torn up in April after uploading an Instagram post which was perceived as homophobic
Ms Wong, the leader of the opposition for the senate, publicly came out after securing her seat in 2002. She has two children with partner Sophie Allouache.
She admitted that while she didn’t agree with Folau’s message, the former rugby star was entitled to his beliefs.
‘I think we ought to remember he doesn’t speak for all Christians,’ she added.
The former Wallabies player saw his $4million contract torn up in April after uploading an Instagram post saying, ‘drunks, homosexuals, fornicators, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters’ needed to repent for their sins or they would go to hell.
Folau later responded by launching a multi-million-dollar legal battle against Rugby Australia claiming unlawful termination.
The issue has sparked a national debate surrounding religious freedom and freedom of speech as well as proposals for legislation from the Morrison government.
Folau was sacked in May for tweeting and posting on Instagram that ‘drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists, idolaters’ needed to repent for their sins and turn to Jesus Christ
Ms Wong, the leader of the opposition for the senate, came out after securing her seat in 2002. She has two children with partner Sophie Allouache (pictured)
‘Whatever happens in this current debate around religious freedom, I think we mustn’t lose sight of those key characteristics of Australian identity,’ Ms Wong went on to say.
‘We don’t want to become less accepting, we don’t wanna become less tolerant. We don’t want to abrogate our agreed view that people are entitled to equality before the law, that we believe people are equal regardless of faith, sexuality, disability, etc.
‘And we should hold to those objectives, that we’re not seeking to diminish that.’
Fellow panel member and human rights lawyer Diana Sayed responded to the question saying she hopes the bill does not ‘give people a licence to discriminate.’
Ms Wong has since heaped on praise on social media for her powerful response.
‘Thank you Penny Wong, for talking about freedom of BELIEF as opposed to religious freedoms. Freedom of belief is about ensuring *everyone’s* beliefs are protected, not just the religious. This is the way the conversation should be framed,’ one person tweeted.