Archbishop hits back at claims the church will fire staff who wed same sex partners

Archbishop Denis Hart has slammed a report which claims the church threatened to fire teachers, nurses and employees who marry their same-sex partner, if gay marriage is legalised.

Melbourne’s most senior Catholic told Neil Mitchell he never made the threats, as reported in The Age.

“I said nothing whatever about sackings,” Archbishop Hart said.

The Archbishop said he’d have ‘no difficulty’ with staff in same-sex relationships but that where teachers are concerned, those employed by the Catholic Church would have to continue to teach Catholic values.

“We exist to teach certain things, the people in our employment need to be able to do that.”

Archbishop Hart also said if Australia was to legalise same-sex marriage, it could ‘weaken’ society.

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview