The Catholic Archbishop of Hobart has rejected the Tasmanian Government's moves to force priests to report child sexual abuse revealed in confession, or risk criminal charges.

Attorney-General Elise Archer tabled Tasmania's initial response to the final report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Ms Archer told Parliament Tasmania would be one of a number of jurisdictions taking the lead by accepting in-principle the need to include priests as mandatory reporters.

"We are broadly of the view that a nationally consistent approach in such matters is desirable," Ms Archer said.

Ms Archer said currently, those classed as mandatory reporters included people employed in law enforcement and health care.

"The royal commission's recommendations will provide for national consistency as to what persons these laws apply," she said.

"The Government also accepts in-principle the need for a specific criminal offence targeting the failure to report child sexual abuse and criminalising such behaviour."

Ms Archer said it was too early to discuss what the penalty would be for mandatory reporters who failed to report abuse, and she still needed to look at exactly what legislation would need to be amended to implement the accepted recommendations.

South Australia will legally oblige priests to report any confessions of child sex abuse from October.

In New South Wales, Catholic church leaders have said they were not willing to break the seal of confession to report child sex abuse, and would rather go to jail than abide by the law.

Ms Archer has also flagged her intention to table legislation later in the year to strengthen Tasmania's legal responses to child sexual abuse, including improving the use of pre-recordings for vulnerable witnesses, broadening the operation of grooming offences under the Criminal Code, and measurers to improve the operation of the crime of persistent child abuse.

Confessional risks being 'undermined': Archbishop

Catholic Archbishop of Hobart Julian Porteous was not available for interview.

In a statement, he quoted a letter endorsed by Australian Catholic bishops which said requiring mandatory reporting of confessions would either have no effect on child safety or would actually make children less safe.

The letter said perpetrators rarely sought confession, and if mandatory reporting were required they would almost certainly not confess, and any perpetrator who was minded to confess would almost certainly do so anonymously.

"Thirdly, were trust in the absolute confidentiality of confession be undermined, then any chance a perpetrator would face the evil of their actions through confession would be lost; any chance a priest-confessor might have to impress upon the penitent the seriousness of their actions, the duty to self-report to the authorities and to get professional help ... would be lost," Archbishop Porteous said.

"Fourthly, were trust in the absolute confidentiality of confession be undermined, then any chance a victim would mention this in confession to a priest would also be seriously diminished; any chance a priest-confessor might have to impress upon the victim the need to inform responsible adults (outside confession) and get to safety would be lost."

Archbishop Porteous said a copy of the letter would be sent to Ms Archer and Premier Will Hodgman.

Ms Archer said she was committed to liaising with the Catholic Church about potential ramifications.

"I announced that religious ministry would be included in mandatory reporting and of course, that does lift the veil on the confessional, so that is a matter for the Catholic Church, nationally I presume, to consider."

Survivors welcome support

Beyond Abuse's Steve Fisher commended the Tasmanian Government for moving to make religious ministry mandatory reporters.

"I think it's something that should've been done a long time ago," Mr Fisher said.

He said churches should never have been above the law.

"[They are not going to like] the fact that laws are changing ... but they have to get with the program and move into this century."

Tasmania has also signed up to the national redress scheme , which comes into effect around the country on July 1.