Can you be fired for tweeting homophobia?

Israel Folau could have his employment contract axed over homophobic social media messages – but the average person in the street might get away with it.

The Australian rugby player posted a banner on Instagram warning ‘‘drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars and fornicators’’ among others that hell awaited them unless they repented.

‘‘Those that are living in Sin will end up in Hell unless you repent. Jesus Christ loves you and is giving you time to turn away from your sin and come to him,’’ his post said.

It is the second such outburst from Folau in as many years and the Australian Rugby Union’s integrity unit are ‘‘engaged on the matter.’’

He also posted a claim that ‘‘the devil has blinded so many people’’ after Tasmania made gender optional on birth certificates.

Bill Hodge, honorary academic at the University of Auckland faculty of law, said there was no doubt that what someone did in their time off could affect an employment relationship – and potentially end it, in this case.

But he said while a person who was not well-known might get away with espousing dramatic religious views, the fact that Folau is well known and made the comments on a public platform would work against him.

Folau is believed to have social media clauses in his new contract, after last year’s furore.

When people were in the public eye, any behaviour that brought the employer into disrepute could lead to employment consequences, including, potentially, the loss of a job.

He said some might argue that it was not the business of an employer what an employee did in his private time, particularly if he was sharing genuinely held beliefs.

‘‘The views he is espousing are fundamental religious beliefs. If it was a Muslim player supporting Sharia law as adopted in Brunei, would the response be the same?’’

The problem was how prominently they had been put into the public realm.

‘‘It’s one thing to have [the beliefs]. It’s another to put them out there in such a public manner.’’

Susan Hornsby-geluk, of employment law specialists Dundas Street, agreed.

‘‘The difference in this instance is that he’s in a publicfacing role. He’s an influencer. High-profile roles that can influence people come with an expectation to behave in a different way. Their personal views can have an impact on the reputation of the employer.’’

Hodge said the environment had changed for sportspeople. ‘‘When I was a boy, my sporting heroes were on a pedestal – I only knew about their sporting activity. Today it’s different. ‘‘ Air New Zealand will build a new 10,000 square metre hangar at its engineering base in Auckland.

The airline said it would be the largest single span timber arch aircraft hangar in the world.

The new Hangar 4 will be one and a half times the size of the airline’s largest existing hangar.

It will be able to house a wide body aircraft such as a Boeing 777-300 or 787-9, and two narrow body aircraft such as an A320 or A321neo, at the same time.

It will be built at the airline’s Auckland engineering base at Geoffrey Roberts Road in Mangere.

Air New Zealand did not say how much it would cost.

The hangar will be a 5-6 ‘‘green star’’ building certified by the New Zealand Green Building Council.