Prime Minister Scott Morrison insists his government's position on religious discrimination laws has not changed, as he is pressed on protections for LGBTIQ+ students.
Mr Morrison has pledged the bill - a signature policy the Coalition took to the last election but has not yet implemented - would still be a priority should his government be re-elected at the 21 May poll.
However, he has said allowing religious schools to discriminate on grounds including sexuality and gender identity, with both issues to be pursued "sequentially".
When asked on Sunday whether he was "breaking a commitment" to LGBTIQ+ students, Mr Morrison said the government's position has not changed.
"Our position has always been the position the government had. And the position that was endorsed by the party room of the government was that both would be pursued and they’d be pursued sequentially," he told reporters in Melbourne.
"There’s no change to that position. That's our policy going forward."
Mr Morrison said he views the Religious Discrimination Act (RDA) and changes to the SDA as "separate issues".
When asked to provide a timeline between them being put forward, the prime minister did not offer one, but said "one follows the other".
The religious discrimination laws were a key campaign promise by the Coalition at the 2019 election.
However, when it was debated in parliament earlier this year due to concerns the laws would unfairly impact LGBTIQ+ students at religious schools.
Mr Morrison said he has been seeking to achieve a "set of protections for people of religious faith, or no religious faith, in this country" for a long time.
"I was disappointed we weren’t able to achieve it during the course of the last parliamentary term," he said.
Liberal MP for Higgins Katie Allen, who was among those to cross the floor, told reporters on Sunday her position is unchanged.
"I will always protect gay and trans students. That is non-negotiable," she said.
"I believe you can protect religious freedoms and you can protect gay and trans students. I believe you can."
When asked about interim protections for LGBTIQ+ students, Mr Morrison claimed there is "no evidence" that LGBTIQ+ students are being expelled from religious schools.
"We’ve been having this conversation for about the last four years. And on each occasion, it has been presented that apparently students are being expelled, each and every day, each and every week and each and every year," he said.
"There is no evidence of that at all. There is none."
"The point is it doesn't happen ... religious schools themselves don't wish to do that."
However, he said, people of religious faith were being discriminated against every day.
When asked about the prime minister's comments on Sunday, Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said "we do need religious discrimination legislation and it should include anti- vilification."
"If people don't think that young people are discriminated against and vilified because of their sexuality, then that does not reflect reality," he said.
Mr Albanese said Mr Morrison wrote to him during the parliamentary debate saying he would "take action" to protect gay and lesbian students.
"I am astonished that he has walked away from that.
"We need to protect people from discrimination, whether it is religious discrimination or on the basis of people's sexuality."
With AAP.
Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline crisis support on 13 11 14, visit or find an . Resources for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders can be found at .
LGBTIQ+ Australians seeking support with mental health can contact QLife on 1800 184 527 or visit . also has a list of support services. Intersex Australians seeking support can visit Intersex Peer Support Australia at
