TVNZ1's Breakfast weather presenter Matty McLean has delivered a moving speech this morning in response to Israel Folau's comments about the LGBTQI community, saying all gay people will go to hell.
The Breakfast presenters were discussing the issue when they asked McLean, who is gay, what he thought.
"I try not to let these things get to me because I just try and be really easy-going and care but it is really, really hard to watch people say those kinds of things especially if you live your life as a really proud, gay man," he said.
Louisa Wall is concerned about the influence the sporting couple could have with their stance on the LGBT community.
"I'm so sick of people who keep saying, 'it's okay, he's allowed to have an opinion,' - I call bull on that.
"You cannot continue to stand behind religious views and spout this bigoted, hateful, homophobic speech - it's really, really disgusting to see especially because I know so many Christian people and people of faith who manage to hold firm their religious views and live lives full of love and compassion and not say these kinds of things."
Folau wrote on social media last month gay people were destined for "Hell, unless they repent of their sins and turn to God".
MP Louisa Wall urged the Wallabies star to think about his comments.
McLean said such comments are harmful.
"It is tough to stand up as a gay man or woman or member of the LGBTQI community - it is tough to stand up and say, 'I am proud of who I am and I'm going to live my life the way I want to live my life'.
"And then have people like Israel Folau stand there and say you are going to go to hell because of the person that you are and it is really really harmful to the thousands of people who look up to him and listen to him and idolise him.
"I always feel like we're moving forward and then something like this happens and we move two steps back - I just wish we could get to a place where everyone can accept everyone for who they are and who they want to be."
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