Ian Thorpe has visited MPs at Parliament House to lobby against the Government's religious discrimination bill, saying it goes against the Australian notion of a "fair go" and will divide the country.

Key points: The Olympian says the bill goes against the Australian concept of a "fair go"

The Olympian says the bill goes against the Australian concept of a "fair go" He says the bill will restrict people's access to hospital services and schools

He says the bill will restrict people's access to hospital services and schools Attorney-General Christian Porter says the proposed bill is about protecting religious beliefs to ensure Australians are not discriminated against

The Olympian joined a campaign by Equality Australia to speak against the controversial proposed legislation, which has been through two iterations after broad criticism from both religious and LGBT groups.

The bill, which the Government said aimed to protect the freedom to practice religion, would allow medical workers to object to carrying out procedures against their faith and permit hospitals and aged care providers to hire people based on their faith.

Mr Thorpe said the bill would "discriminate against young and old".

"It will discriminate against people based on their gender, it will also restrict people's ability and access to be able to use our hospital services, our schools, and it will have a huge impact on the LGBTIQ community in particular," he said.

"I believe in an Australia that has a sense of a fair go and this bill most certainly doesn't do that.

"We want an Australia where we protect religious freedom for each of our faith-based organisations.

"That human right needs to remain, but there is also a right to protect those people who may not follow those beliefs."

Ms Brown and Mr Thorpe said the bill would affect vast parts of the community. ( AAP: Mick Tsikas )

He was joined by the CEO of Equality Australia, Anne Brown, who said the bill was "deeply flawed" and gave religious institutions a "right to discriminate".

Attorney-General says bill is based on 'unifying idea'

Attorney-General Christian Porter said the bill was about ensuring ordinary Australians were not discriminated against because of their religion — or lack thereof — as they went about their everyday lives.

Sorry, this audio has expired Govt's religious freedom bill privileges faith over other human rights: Michael Kirby

"In a multicultural, multi-faith society, we ought to be able to respect the calm expression of religious beliefs, as well as atheist and agnostic ones," he said.

"That should be a unifying idea, not a divisive one.

"[The laws] make clear there is no protection for words that are malicious or said in bad faith, or which are not anchored in religious doctrine.

"You are not protected for statements that harass, vilify, threaten, seriously intimidate, or urge the commission of serious offences."

He said while he respected the right of people to express concerns over the bill, "deliberate misrepresentations and blatant falsehoods diminish us all".