Catholic Church blackmails Telstra to ditch support for Marriage Equality
Telecommunications giant Telstra has abandoned its support for marriage equality after the Catholic Church threatened to end all contracts with the company.
Up until now, the company has been a strong supporter of equal rights, however today’s capitulation to the demands of a conservative religious body affirms that its support of Australia’s LGBTI community takes second place when it comes to maintaining its profits derived from religious bigotry.
The shock move will come as a slap in the face to the many thousands of Telstra customers, employees and members of the community at large who have, until today, supported Telstra’s progressive stance.
In 2015 the company was an official sponsor for the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
According to a report by The Australian, Michael Digges, the Archdiocese of Sydney business manager, sent a letter to every corporation which allowed their logos to be used as a show of support for same-sex marriage in an Australian Marriage Equality (AME) ad which ran last May.
In the letter Mr Digges indicated that the Catholic Church would be withdrawing all its contracts from Telstra if it did not cease to publicly support marriage equality.
Telstra currently holds contracts for all the Catholic schools in Australia.
Telstra today announced that it has “no plans” to continue campaigning for marriage equality.
theguttertrash.com 
That is EXTREME blackmail and certainly highlights the medieval mind of katlyks … in Australia …
And yet these religious fuckers have the hide to claim that somehow they’re the ones being persecuted against…
Testra still has a logo up at Australian Marriage Eqity … along with another 868 organisations and companies!
Hope that’s a good sign …
However, it shows the depths that the katlyks and other bigots will stoop to in the event of a plebiscite …
I still believe a plebiscite would be in favour but will be ignored by government … another waste of millions to play politics …
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
No opinion from, wally, on this post … he’s usually to fore in these issues … defending the rights of corporations to do what they want …
Interesting that the catlyk church needs a “business manager” …
“No opinion from, wally, on this post … ”
Personally I really dont care. I just dont understand why a company like Telstra bothers to take a stance. They have nothing to gain. Optus dont.
Does TPG in the comms space also take a stand.
BHP, Rio, Woodside, Seven Network, Ten Network, Faifax, News, Santos……………..what the fuxck has it got to do with them.
Does Telstra take a pro abortion stance ?
Slow!
I looked at the Telstra logo above earlier today a couple of times and thought – that’s not right.
Noice one sreb!
So slow!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Personally I really dont (sic) care
Says it all, wally … its a stand against discrimination – any discrimination …
What if the krystians decide that JC was right about moneylenders … meant anyone in the financial industry was banned from going to football matches?
In fact why don’t churches get stuck into the UAC crap … or betting ads on TV?
Hypocrisy everywhere …
I see Scott Morrison had a crack at Bill Shorten’s ill fitting suits.
I think Scott is spot on. Shorten’s attire is a blight on the parliament and since he is Victorian, he should know better.
since he is Victorian, he should know better.
The wool capital? Yea, as long as you have a wool fetish, melbumms the place fer you 😉
what the fuxck has it got to do with them.
http://www.australianmarriageequality.org/open-letter-of-support/
“”According to a new poll by Ipsos, 64 per cent of Australians favour scrapping tax free status for churches and basic religious groups. Less than 20 per cent said tax breaks should remain, and 16.5 per cent were unsure.
More than half (55.1 per cent) of those surveyed disagreed that advancing religion is of public benefit. Only 20.7 per cent said they agreed, with a further 24.2 per cent saying advancing religion may be of public benefit.
Public opinion has undergone a seismic shift. Rather than ask why remove tax free status, Australians are now asking, “Why not?” The thought that only one in five Australians think advancing religion is beneficial to the public must be deeply troubling for religious advocates.””
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-14/harris-church-and-its-weakening-grip-over-telstra-and-taxes/7324396
“Says it all, wally … its a stand against discrimination – any discrimination … ”
What crap.
It politically correct gesturing.
Plenty of Corporates dont do that stuff……………..therefore you are saying they favour discrimination by not being a sponsor.
“”Plenty of Corporates dont do that stuff””
Actually, most corporates, as you are no doubt aware, have quite defined policies about equality, anti-discrimination and respect for diversity regardless of ppl’s ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.
This extends to not just their own workplace culture, but to ensuring that trading partners they work with embrace the same ethical standards.
Whether you (wish to) realise it or not, this in turn reflects how these companies are perceived in the broader community.
Corporates are acutely aware of this, which is why many of them actively promote these guiding business principles as a way to attract and retain the best talent and to be “an employer of choice.”
The fact that you describe this as simply “politically correct gesturing” really just serves to confirm your ignorance on this particular issue.
The point, wally, is that the catlick church has the arrogance and ignorance to blackmail a number of companies if they didn’t do what the catlicks wanted …
As for “plenty of corps don’t do that stuff” … in the 21st Century plenty DO … and we’re
discussing one that does …
http://www.australianmarriageequality.org/open-letter-of-support/
therefore you are saying they favour discrimination by not being a sponsor.
How on earth do you reach that strange concept …
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If the catlyk church wants to blackmail businesses with its “philosophy” and by a business manager it is in effect a business and should therefore (and all other “religions”) be taxed – after all we know that in many cases “religions” are just tax havens and honey pots for their founders and/or patrons …
Friends of ours just stopped paying their $40 tithe to the catlick church … after 40+ years
“Actually, most corporates, as you are no doubt aware, have quite defined policies about equality, anti-discrimination and respect for diversity regardless of ppl’s ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.”
They are internal policies. Not part of a stupid marketing campaign.
When Telstra are capable of concentrating on maintaining an uninterrupted service for their customers then they can perhaps wastefully engage in some political correctness to make people like you feel feel “soft and all gooey” about them.
For now they should look after their customers, shareholders and employees and not engage in flimsy political correctness campaigns.
And by the way the Catholic Church has every right to pull their telecommunications contract from them over the policy.
But Hey you ignorantly think everyone should agree with your views and blindly follow even if they fundamentally disagree with you
“……..is that the catlick church has the arrogance and ignorance to blackmail a number of companies if they didn’t do what the catlicks wanted … ”
Well its not blackmail. Telstra can ignore it. They have choices just as the Church does. Otherwise you are saying Telstra has a Price and can be bought off over its political views.
So let Telstra do what it truly believes in………………………if it really believes it.
You should be complaining to Telstra not about the Catholic Church
Not part of a stupid marketing campaign.
wally IS Stephen Fry!
And by the way the Catholic Church has every right to pull their telecommunications contract from them over the policy.
Weren’t you up in arms about people protesting by boycotting products? Now, all of a sudden, there’s nothing wrong with it?
Yes, the church does have the right. The problem here is, Telstra exposed themselves as nothing but vacuous greedy fucks. As if the homophobes called our Federal grubmint haven’t bequeathed enough taxpayer revenue to them already, now they’ll cling to homophobic churches cash strings too.
Fair enough, but don’t complain when they cop a backlash. Consumers have a moral compass, even if boardrooms don’t.
Well its not blackmail. Telstra can ignore it.
true, but that doesn’t mean it’s not blackmail.
“Consumers have a moral compass, even if boardrooms don’t.”
The two groups you mentioned have completely different objectives
“Telstra exposed themselves as nothing but vacuous greedy fucks.”
And you didn’t realise that ?
“”They are internal policies. Not part of a stupid marketing campaign.””
Where do you think the marketing campaign came from?
Probably via a focus group of tea sipping inner city Left wing Ned Kelly bearded Green idiots
“Weren’t you up in arms about people protesting by boycotting products? ”
I assume you are referring to the protests outside Max Brenner Coffee shops due to their links to Israel. People can protest and boycott but they have no right to interfere with the business by blocking the cafe entrances.
Similarly Leichhardt and Marrickville Councils in Sydney boycotted Israeli products. Sorry but a bunch of fuck heads running Councils should not be concerned with foreign policy. They should stick to fixing roads and picking up garbage etc.
Yes well you would say that when you’re losing the argument.
I’d suggest it came from Telstra themselves, you know, in the interests of brand positioning.
All very fine and dandy to lure the pink $ until such time as you get an email from the chief Tim threatening to cut the cord unless ye abandon your left pinky credentials.
Once again, progressive enlightened thinking capitulates to conservative demands from the talking snake advocates.
Speaking of Counils…
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The two groups you mentioned have completely different objectives
Yet are intrinsically entwined.
Telstra signed up to get the support of consumers. I hope this caving in to the blackmail from the church hurts them where it hurts them the most, their pockets
I assume you are referring to the protests outside Max Brenner Coffee shops due to their links to Israel
No, I hadn’t heard of that one.
“Yes well you would say that when you’re losing the argument.”
Of course you’d say that.
The fact that Telstra pulled the sponsorship simply shows they can be bought and never really believed in it anyways. So it was a pointless display of political coreectness.
If they really believed in their association they would not have caved in. Which is what I have said all along
ROFLMAO…………….So who is losing the argument ?
“I hope this caving in to the blackmail from the church hurts them where it hurts them the most, their pockets”
I doubt it. People are already signed up to fixed plans and Telstra provides a better service than most albeit at a premium price.
And I dont see Optus or TMG jostling to fill the vacuum they have left
Or Vodafail
“Telstra signed up to get the support of consumers. ”
Or lose that support from other groups. In the end the Financial Costs outweighed the Financial Gains.
Which means their support had a price. Not much true belief there
“”If they really believed in their association they would not have caved in.””
I agree with you on that point. However I disagree with you that it was “a stupid marketing campaign.”
They obviously felt at the time that it was the right thing to do – embodied in their principal sponsorship of the 2015 Mardi Gras and thousands of $$$ spent luring the pink dollar.
“”Or lose that support from other groups. In the end the perceived Financial Costs outweighed the perceived Financial Gains.””
Whether that turns out to be the case or not remains to be seen.
Telstra provides a better service than most
ROFL
Actually, arguably they do, but only because, they own the infrastructure, so all other providers are forced to line up to get theirs fixed. This imbalance HAD been fixed, but malcayman has re-instated it, at huge cost to the taxpayer
muppets.
Just as a matter of interest… are consumer boycotts “blackmail”?
Like when some Greens organised the boycott of some chocolate shop over the Israel/Palestine conflict.
Is it wrong in principle, or just wrong when we hold an opposing political/social orientation?
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Max Brenner Coffee shops due to their links to Israel
That’s the one.
…and I used to live in the Leichardt council area, what a F**KING disgrace the council was. It’s great to be in a non-Green area these days where the council provides a decent garbage service and a clean, up to date library. That’s about all people need from their local council.
“”Just as a matter of interest… are consumer boycotts “blackmail”?””
I’m glad you asked. The answer is no:
When people decide not to buy something on a matter of principle that’s a protest vote. Telling someone that you’re not going to buy something from them unless they modify their behaviour in a certain way – that’s blackmail.
For example, I don’t buy cage or barn laid eggs.
I haven’t demanded that Woollies stop selling cage or barn laid eggs.
I haven’t issued them with a threat.
See the difference?
I haven’t demanded that Woollies stop selling cage or barn laid eggs.
Pretty soon it won’t bloody well matter anyway.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/31/australia-national-free-range-egg-definition-criticised
“See the difference?”
Yes…………..a single individual is completely insignificant plus you are not dealing directly with a supplier.
If you were a large group with a major dollar pull you probably would be successful.
Imagine if McDonalds were to threaten to boycott one or many beef cattle outfits if they didn’t stop feeding hormones to their animals (not that they do)
If anyone had bothered to check the link I put up this morning, you’ll see Telstra’s logo is still displayed …
http://www.australianmarriageequality.org/open-letter-of-support/
Ya need to get yer tusks around gravatars, wally … you’ve wasted away!
Fixed
If anyone had bothered to check the link I put up this morning
No, I won’t be offended TB
Telstra signed up to get the support of consumers. I hope this caving in to the blackmail from the church hurts them where it hurts them the most, their pockets
I hope all teh gay business owners and individuals/supporters cancel their telstra accounts for caving in. I haven’t used telstra in about 10 yrs.
Australian business is so gutless, that’s why they hide behind the IPA, so we can’t identify them and actively boycott their products.
I haven’t been around much to comment, my daughter is in labour [since 0645 hrs] as I type, I’ll soon be a grandmum. Very exciting!
Congratulations Kittylitter, that’s great news…! 🙂
Congrats ao. Exciting times, not least of all because you get the joy of kids, without the nappies 🙂
my comment disappeared?
Congratulations, KL! And Mum and Dad and ???? … and families …
Remember to look after Dad too!
An exciting time to be an Australian!
TR, bad news, sunshine, I’ve changed nappies on SEVEN kids now! All mine … 😉
All mine‘
The nappies? The kids? clarity TB, clarity 🙂
Chuckle (two kids, five g/kids) …
Like the sentiment! Very true … ~(:-)
“”The Catholic church lobbied two of Australia’s most prominent gay chief executives to stop their companies’ support for marriage equality.””
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/church-told-gay-ceos-at-qantas-sbs-to-stop-supporting-marriage-equality-20160414-go6xxj.html#ixzz45sKPVr3d
Two groups with “completely different objectives” appear to have achieved synchronicity.
The power of the consumer?
I was just about to post a link to that story too, but I had second thoughts lest someone might get offended..
lest someone might get offended..
I thought offending people was what we were here for?
“”I thought offending people was what we were here for?””
I just come here for the insults.
I thought offending people was what we were here for?
I was about to say the same thing … but I thought … fuck ’em!
ToM reckons about 1 in 7 workers are union members … does that mean they’re all gay?
Anyway I’m glad to see Telstra has done a triple backflip, somersault with a double pike and landed neatly in the sea of public opinion …
Now I don’t have to think about changing my comms co. …
As for the Archbishop of Sydney and acolytes …
ToM reckons about 1 in 7 workers are union members
yea, the other 6 are unemployed 😉
Luckily, the workers BEST FRIEND, malcayman, is out to save them all
Yea, push ’em all onto an ABN
What could go wrong
Workchoices by stealth. If they try and do this budget, even the msm would have to start thinking “even” Bill Shorten “might” be electable
Nothing is new … this shite has been tried before with disastrous results!
A clever brickie does NOT know how to run a business … a clever accountant should – but often they don’t!
70% of start ups fail in the first year … 70%! A business is not considered “viable” until its been around for … wait for it … seven years!
That 30% remaining? … 1/2 will fail in the next year …
And what stuffs ’em all … book-keeping, self discipline and tax …
We had a friend who had been made redundant … his wife said … well if he can’t get a job he’ll just become a consultant like you … good job I have grandkids and can keep a straight face …
Speaking of … calling grandma (or preference) KL?
DD ON!