Anti-Discrimination Board approves Burns complaint against Israel Folau
Image: Gary Burns and Israel Folau. Image Facebook
Sacked footballer Israel Folau may have settled one court case for his antigay social media statements, but another is just around the corner.
This week the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board by prominent gay activist Garry Burns, which means it will now proceed to an open court hearing.
In his submission Burns alleged Folau鈥檚 comments about gay people breached Section 49ZT of the聽NSW Anti-Discrimination Act.
By聽publishing those聽statements 鈥淢r Folau has portrayed homosexual men and women as people who聽should be shunned and/or avoided on the聽grounds of their聽homosexuality.鈥� Burns said in his complaint,聽鈥淏y doing so, he has breached the provisions of the聽Anti-Discrimination Act.鈥�
Burns quotes Folau鈥檚 social media posts saying 聽鈥淕od says for a man and a woman to be together, one man and one woman in the covenant of marriage 鈥� they鈥檝e changed that law and now they鈥檝e legalised same-sex marriage鈥�, alleging in his segment that Folau鈥檚 offending social media posts puts homosexuals in the same category as criminals and perverts.
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Burns has not launched action for himself, but for all Australians, as he fights against vilification of LGBTQI people and other minorities.
“I am a completely independent activist. The work that I do is difficult and expensive, and I can鈥檛 do it alone.鈥� Burns said.
He has set up a to support his legal action against Folau and asked 鈥渄ecent Australians” to consider donating.
鈥淚 consider it my life鈥檚 work to bring about an Australia that is safe and accepting of all. We are all Australians, all in this together. It鈥檚 just not on in 2019 to vilify people simply because they鈥檙e a minority.鈥�
Burns vowed that Folau would not escape聽the聽consequences聽of his statements, promising Folau would “cop a dose of third-degree Burns鈥� after his and bushfires.
With the news spreading of Burns complaint against Folau, people have been , from $10 to $200.
鈥淓very bit helps and it all adds up,鈥� Burns said, 鈥渆ven donations of a dollar.鈥�
