Victorian opposition leader calls Andrew Thorburn’s resignation as Essendon CEO ‘ridiculous’

Victoria’s opposition leader, Matthew Guy, has described Andrew Thorburn’s resignation as Essendon chief executive over links to a church condemning homosexuality and abortion as “ridiculous”.

The football club on Tuesday said Thorburn felt he could not serve in both roles and had offered his resignation, despite not holding the same personal views as his church.

Thorburn was appointed to the role on Monday but resigned on Tuesday afternoon after sermons by the City on a Hill church, of which he is chairman, were made public.

The sermons likened abortion to a concentration camp and included claims that “practising homosexuality is a sin” – views which the premier, Daniel Andrews, said were “absolutely appalling”.

On Wednesday, the opposition leader criticised the premier for weighing in to the debate, which he said encroached too far into private religious views.

“What are we now banning people from going to church, banning people from going to a synagogue, banning people from going to a mosque? Where have we got? This is ridiculous,” Guy told 3AW radio.

Premier Daniel Andrews says “I’ve had a longstanding view that termination services are a private matter between a woman and her doctor and I will speak out against people who seek to intrude on that.

“What’s more, when it comes to rampant homophobia, when I lead the Pride march every year … I do that with a sense of genuine concern and support and commitment to make sure every LGBTIQ+ Victorian is safe, respected and valued.”

Andrews said same-sex-attracted young people were more likely to take their own lives or self-harm than the broader Victorian community.

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