A review into religious protections in Australia has recommended making it more difficult for schools to turn away gay students, according to the report's author Philip Ruddock.

Mr Ruddock, a former Liberal MP, said the report, which is yet to be made public, suggests narrowing the scope of existing sex discrimination laws.

"We weren't suggesting that the law should be expanded," he told the ABC's RN Drive program.

"We were simply saying it should be contracted to ensure that that information was clear and unambiguous in relation to those who were seeking to enrol children."

Reports earlier on Wednesday suggested the report recommended religious schools be given the right to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or relationship status.

It has since emerged that those laws already exist in varying forms in some states.

Mr Ruddock said his review recommended making the laws consistent across the country and forcing schools that do discriminate to be upfront about it by publicly stating their rules and beliefs.

"There may be a small number of schools who see that as a significant issue for religious reasons," he said.

"Provided they make it clear, and abundantly clear, that they are the rules under which they're operating, that should be the basis upon which it occurs."

One senior Australian Catholic has rejected the need to strengthen religious protections in Australia.

The Vicar-General of the Catholic Diocese in Ballarat, Kevin Maloney, said those laws already existed in varying forms and his Church had not sought to change them.

"No I'm not convinced that they need to be extended at all," he said.

"I think we've got reasonable rights already. We've got probably more rights than we need anyway."

Shadow Education Minister Tanya Plibersek labelled the leaked recommendation a "disturbing proposition".

"What kind of adult wants to turn away a child, wants to reject a kid because they are gay?"

Sorry, this video has expired Plibersek describes religious freedom recommendation as 'disturbing'

Christian Schools Australia said it was not aware of any students who had been turned away based on their sexuality.



The report's recommendation would only affect students seeking to enrol, as schools set up for religious purposes already have the right to take such matters into account when hiring staff or contractors.

Mr Ruddock's recommendations make up the final report that was commissioned by the Coalition Government after same-sex marriage was legalised last year, in what was seen as an effort to appease opponents of the move.

At the time, then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull's office said the review would be a "timely expert stocktake to inform consideration of any necessary legislative reforms".