The Federal Government's proposed religious freedom laws would seriously threaten, and in some cases override, human rights protections, the ACT Government says.

Key points: ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr is concerned the religious freedom bill will create "religious privilege"

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr is concerned the religious freedom bill will create "religious privilege" Federal Attorney-General Christian Porter says the bill is "common sense" and any suggestions otherwise are "wrong"

Federal Attorney-General Christian Porter says the bill is "common sense" and any suggestions otherwise are "wrong" This is the Federal Government's second attempt at a religious freedom bill

In a scathing submission on the latest version of the proposed religious freedom bill, Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the laws would elevate religious freedom to a special position above all other human rights, essentially creating "religious privilege".

He also said the laws would threaten the well-being of ordinary citizens and their "freedom from religion".

The Federal Government's second attempt at a religious freedom bill has received a mixed reception; some religious leaders have welcomed it but others have criticised it.

Conservative Liberal senator Concetta Fierrevanti-Wells called this week for the bill to be scrapped, telling The Sydney Morning Herald "no bill is better than this flawed bill".

Attorney-General Christian Porter indicated further consultation would take place before the legislation was introduced.

But the ACT's submission details a wide range of problems with the draft, and its potential implications for healthcare, education and employment in Canberra.

In an extended interview with the ABC, Mr Barr said the most serious aspect was the proposed protections for "statements of belief", which he argued would explicitly override any anti-discrimination laws in place at a state or territory level.

"This draft legislation is giving a priority to religion, effectively elevating that over people's rights for freedom of expression," he said.

"And this is, I think, quite a problematic situation where it's religious privilege, rather than freedom of religion."

But Mr Porter rejected this suggestion outright.

"Much like the ACT's own Discrimination Act, the bill says that in most areas of public life, you should not be treated adversely because of your religion," Mr Porter said.

"Equally, the bill says religious bodies do not engage in religious discrimination by acting in accordance with their faith.

"This is not religious privilege, it is common sense."

Potential problems with Catholic health services

Mr Barr says the bill could force the government to negotiate a new agreement with Calvary Hospital. ( ABC News: Aarti Betigeri )

Mr Barr said that, were the bill to pass, the ACT Government would likely be forced to negotiate a new agreement with the Catholic owners of the publicly funded Calvary Hospital, Canberra's second-largest hospital.

Calvary is operated by the Little Company of Mary, and provides public hospital services in the city's north.

The ACT submission flags concerns that the laws would create "a new legal basis for health practitioners to conscientiously object to providing reproductive health services, including abortion".

The laws would not allow health practitioners to deny treatments to particular people based on their gender or other characteristics. But they would potentially allow practitioners to refuse to perform certain treatments or procedures on all people.

Mr Barr said any organisation providing public healthcare services should not be given legal flexibility to avoid performing certain treatments, or treating certain people.

"If religious organisations are given public money to provide particular services then they simply can't discriminate, and they should not be allowed to discriminate in terms of who they provide those services to," he said.

Mr Barr said the bill would likely lead to new talks with religious healthcare providers, operating with public funds, to ensure the laws are not being used to discriminate on religious grounds.

"We would have to go into some quite detailed negotiations with those service providers to ensure that the contracts we have with them are consistent with the ACT's Human Rights Act," he said.

Mr Porter rejected the idea that the bill would allow health services to discriminate in the services they provide, labelling it "wrong and deceptive".

"The bill makes very clear that, while religious hospitals and aged care facilities can maintain a faith-based ethos amongst their staff, they cannot turn away patients or deliver services differently based on religion," he said.

Christian Porter rejected the suggestion the proposed laws would override territory law. ( ABC News: Matt Roberts )

The ACT submission also raises concerns about employers maintaining "tolerance and diversity" in the workplace under the proposed laws.

The laws provide some protection to employees of very large organisations who make "statements of belief".

Mr Barr said that would "undoubtedly" make going to work more uncomfortable for some people in Canberra.

"Being a good human is about respecting the environment that you're working or living in, and being conscious that things that you say can offend others," he said.

"That is a pretty important life principle.

"Why you would enshrine in legislation a particular privilege for a group of people to be able to espouse a view that will offend many, and to grant that legal privilege? [It] just seems extraordinary in 2020."

Human rights 'at stake'

Andrew Barr says the religious freedom bill would "seriously threaten" human rights.

Mr Barr's damning submission is the latest in a line of public disputes between the ACT and Commonwealth on particular issues.

Last week the ACT Government suggested climate change mitigation and emissions reduction risked being "ignored" in the bushfire royal commission, and the territory's recently introduced cannabis legalisation laws prompted fury from many Federal Government frontbenchers.

But Mr Barr rejected suggestions his government "picked fights" with the Coalition Government.

"We have a firm set of values that we will stand up for," he said.

"And, in this instance, the legislation that's proposed would override the Human Rights Act, as it would other state and territory anti-discrimination legislation.

"So if you don't stand up and say something on an issue like this, when would you ever?"

Mr Barr said the ACT Government wanted the freedoms of religious people protected, but argued those protections already existed under ACT law.

"It is as much freedom from religion as it is freedom of religion," he said.

"I have no problem with people following whichever religious faith that they wish to.

"My concern is when people seek to impose their faith and those views on others. And that is what this legislation would enable."

However, Mr Porter rejected the suggestion the laws would override territory law, suggesting they would work together.

"Like the Race Discrimination Act and the Sex Discrimination Act, this bill will operate side-by-side with territory laws," he said.

"Suggesting that the bill does otherwise is wrong."

In a statement ACT Opposition Leader Alistair Coe dismissed Mr Barr's concerns over what the bill could mean for religious health practitioners, saying:

"The best way for us to support the health needs of every Canberran is to improve Canberra's health system that is falling apart under the same old tired thinking from Labor," he said.

"Under Labor, we have the longest waiting lists in the country and all Canberrans find it difficult to access health services."