Labor will oppose any attempt by the federal government to continue the school chaplaincy program unless it includes funding for secular welfare workers.

The government, led by Attorney-General George Brandis, is exploring how to continue the chaplaincy program after the High Court struck down the federal funding of such programs as unlawful.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Labor education spokesoman Kate Ellis at a Canberra primary school. Mr Shorten says Labor wants schools to be able to retain secular welfare workers using funds from the chaplains program. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Labor continued the program, first introduced by the Howard government, when it was in government but amended it so schools could choose to hire a secular welfare worker rather than a faith-based worker.