Peter Dutton wants Essendon Bombers coach reinstated

Mr Thorburn was appointed chief executive of the club on Monday but resigned on Tuesday following revelations by the Herald Sun that he was also chairman of a church which compared abortion to the Holocaust.

Mr Dutton told ABC Insiders on Sunday that Thorburn “wasn’t someone who preached a sermon” and “didn’t support discrimination on any basis”.

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“We are in a dangerous position in our country where we can discriminate against someone because of their Christian values, their religious affiliation, whatever religion that is,” Mr. Dutton said.

“He has religious beliefs that are different from yours and mine, but we live in a great country where we tolerate that and he shouldn’t be excluded on that basis.”

Mr Dutton was asked whether organizations should be able to hire and fire someone based on their sexuality.

“Islamic schools, Jewish schools, Christian schools in our country that want to teach their faith, and they should be able to do that,” Mr. Dutton said.

“If they have children enrolled in this school by their parents, the parents expect that this doctrine will be followed.”

Mr Dutton said Mr Thorburn’s case was different from faith-based schools, which have said they should be able to hire and fire based on their beliefs.

“If you’re a person of the Jewish faith and you send your child to this school, it’s for a reason,” Mr. Dutton said.

“You made the decision to send your child there to receive religion as part of a more general education. And it should be seamless.

“Therefore, any idea that anyone could be discriminated against, as Mr Thorburn was, is completely unacceptable.”

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