The Federal Government has overhauled its proposed religious discrimination laws in an effort to win over faith leaders who rebuked the Coalition's earlier attempts.

Key points: The Government has made 11 changes to its proposed religious discrimination laws

The Government has made 11 changes to its proposed religious discrimination laws The Coalition was forced to review its proposal after broad criticism of the first draft

The Coalition was forced to review its proposal after broad criticism of the first draft The changes allow hospitals and aged care providers to hire people on the basis of faith

Attorney-General Christian Porter outlined 11 changes to the draft bill, which the Government opted against introducing to Parliament last month after facing criticism from religious and groups advocating for racial and sexual equality, and for those with disabilities.

As flagged, the new bill will allow religious bodies — such as hospitals and aged care providers — to continue to hire people on the basis of their religion.

The other changes include defining the word "vilify" as inciting "hatred or violence" and exemptions to allow religious camps and conference centres to take faith into account when deciding to provide accommodation.

The Coalition has also changed health practitioner laws, which narrows the health professions to medicine, midwifery, nursing, pharmacy and psychology.

These workers could object to carrying out procedures that were against their faith but they could not object to treating a patient based on that patient's faith.

That would allow a Catholic hospital to refuse to perform an abortion or IVF treatment, but not to decline treatment to a non-Catholic.

"The people who have suggested changes can see whether, to their best assessment, the drafting that we have now adopted meets their needs and represents their concerns," the Attorney-General told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.

Ahead of the final sitting week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison ditched the Government's first attempt to introduce a Religious Discrimination Bill, which had been an election promise.

The first draft attracted more than 6,000 submissions and the Opposition dubbed it "friendless".

Mr Porter defended the decision to delay the legislation, saying it was because Government took time to listen to all sides of the debate.

"These changes don't change the operation, the objectives or the overarching structure of the bill," he said.

"They improve a range of very important clauses and they are certainly, at least, substantive enough to warrant this extra period of consultation."

Public comment on the bill is open until the end of January, with the Government planning to introduce the legislation to Parliament in early 2020.

"This is an interim process. We are taking it step by step," the Prime Minister said.

"I want to thank those faith leaders and those more broadly across the community who have been urging us not to rush this, but to ensure we take the time to get it right."