Face of Nation : The Australian Christian Lobby has launched a new fundraising page for Israel Folau and donated $100,000 to his legal efforts after his original page was deleted by GoFundMe.
The group’s managing director Martyn Iles tweeted a link to the page on Monday evening, saying he had spoken to the Australian rugby player and “we fixed it”.
“On behalf of the Australian Christian Lobby, I have spoken to Israel Folau to let him know that ACL will be donating $100,000 to his legal defence, because it’s right and it sets an important legal precedent,” he wrote.
“I have also offered to host his online appeal for funds here on our website and he has accepted our offer.”
“So, please give generously today to help Israel Folau stand for your religious freedom.”
At the time of writing more than $12,700 had been raised. The page also contains the text of Israel Folau’s original GoFundMe post, which asks for money to help with his legal battle against Rugby Australia.
The new campaign comes after media commentators claimed the issue had split the country over Folau’s comments and the response from the fundraising platform.
On Monday evening, Change.org director Sally Rugg let fly at the Christian rugby player on Q&A, saying the “disgusting” comments made her feel sick.
“The words that Folau uses about gay Australians — people like me — they exist in a context where the Morrison government is looking at whether people really care or not that religious schools can exclude LGBTI teachers and students,” she said.
Earlier Israel Folau said GoFundMe’s decision to cancel his campaign was disappointing and they had “buckled” under media pressure.
“Unfortunately, GoFundMe has buckled to demands against the freedom of Australians to donate to his cause.
“There appears to be a continuing campaign of discrimination against Israel and his supporters.”
Folau’s team also revealed his website had been targeted by a “sustained cyberattack”, and said there had been a deliberate attempt to vilify his wife, netballer Maria Folau, for supporting him.
“While Israel does not intend to respond in detail at this time regarding the accusations thrown at him or his family, he wants it known that these attacks have hardened his resolve,” the statement from Israel Folau said.
“Thankfully, several organisations have already expressed interest in supporting Israel’s efforts to raise money for his ongoing legal case.”
On Monday, one of Folau’s chief supporters — Australian Christian Lobby managing director Martyn Iles — said people were “actively working on a solution” after GoFundMe’s decision.
The crowd-funding site pulled Folau’s fundraising page and is issuing refunds to all his donors, saying the campaign breached its terms of service.
“Today we will be closing Israel Folau’s campaign and issuing full refunds to all donors. After a routine period of evaluation, we have concluded that this campaign violates our terms of service,” GoFundMe’s Australia regional manager Nicola Britton said.
“As a company, we are absolutely committed to the fight for equality for LGBTIQ people and fostering an environment of inclusivity. While we welcome GoFundMe’s engaging in diverse civil debate, we do not tolerate the promotion of discrimination or exclusion.
“In the days since Mr Folau’s campaign launched, more than one million dollars have been donated to hundreds of other campaigns, large and small, across Australia. Those acts of kindness are the heart of GoFundMe.
“Our platform exists to help people help others. Australians have shown themselves to be among the most kind and generous people in the world. We look forward to helping more Australians fundraise for causes they care about in the coming months and years.”
According to the terms and conditions on the website, users may not attempt to raise money “for the legal defence of … intolerance of any kind relating to race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, sex, gender or gender identity, or serious disabilities or diseases”.
But Mr Iles posted a Facebook message declaring the fundraising battle would continue.
“Yes, GoFundMe has pulled the page. People are actively working on a solution,” he wrote.
“For now, I won’t be able to keep updating beyond this as things are completely insane at my end.”
Folau was widely criticised over the weekend after asking the public to donate $3 million to fund his legal fight against Rugby Australia, which terminated his contract in May over Instagram posts claiming “hell awaits” gay people.
He has launched legal proceedings with the Fair Work Commission, and is seeking up to $10 million in damages.
When news.com.au last viewed Folau’s page, more than 9800 Australians had given him a total of $760,000. That was before GoFundMe removed it.
There are still 137 pages related to Folau on the website. A number of them are raising money for pro-LGBT charities, though others are more gratuitous.
The backlash against Folau also extended to Change.org over the weekend, where 95,000 people signed a petition demanding GoFundMe remove his campaign.
“Like anyone else, he had an employment contact. As an adult, he made a conscious decision to breach that contract by discriminating against various groups of people globally,” said the petition’s organiser, Jay Taylor.
“He is entitled to be religious. He is entitled to free speech. What he is not entitled to is disgraceful behaviour, blatant discrimination and to expect the public to mop up his mess when he most certainly has the means to do it himself.”
But Folau has no shortage of defenders. Liberal National Party Senator James McGrath reacted swiftly to GoFundMe’s decision today.
“The true test of a democratic nation is not how we treat those with whom we agree but how we treat the rights of those with whom we disagree,” he said.
“Freedom of speech is timeless and should not be restricted by the leftist gormless oxygen thieves of GoFundMe.”
Senator Eric Abetz phoned in to Ben Fordham’s show on 2GB on Monday, calling it political correctness “gone absolutely mad”.
He said GoFundMe was still willing to host “the funding of a mosque in Western Australia” on its site, so “clearly it’s not an issue of religion”.
Mr Abetz also called on GoFundme to apologise for their action in removing Folau’s campaign.
“They are claiming that they are being inclusive while they are excluding people, and claim that they are being tolerant while they are discriminating against people, and that’s why it is so disturbing.
“The hypocrisy and double speak is there for every one to see and GoFundMe ought to reconsider and apologise,” Mr Abetz added.
Mr Abetz’s leader, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, told reporters in Perth he thought the Folau issue “has had enough oxygen”.
Over the weekend, Folau posted an update to his GoFundMe page, thanking those who had donated to his cause.
“Unsurprisingly, I have been criticised by Rugby Australia and some members of the media,” Folau said.
“I have received thousands of messages from supporters who believe discrimination in the workplace is wrong and has no place in Australia or anywhere else.
“While the attacks against me have shown I have a big fight on my hands, I will stand strong. Your support and my faith will give me strength.”
He told people who were not in a position to donate that he would also value their prayers and messages of support. “Every little bit will help,” he said.
