A Senate candidate for the Australian Sex Party is calling for the Federal Government to hold an immediate royal commission into child sex abuse in religious institutions.

The party launched its federal campaign in Melbourne this afternoon.

Party president and Victorian senate candidate Fiona Patten admits some of the party's policies are controversial but says there is a progressive policy vacuum in Australian politics.

She believes there would be broad public support for a government investigation into allegations of sexual abuse within churches.

"A royal commission was held in Ireland with great success and really, I think it's quite obvious the church cannot manage this themselves," Ms Patten said.

"We need an independent adjudicator to do a proper investigation.

"When you look at it, the church employs almost 20,000 people and over 1,000 have already been prosecuted."