The Coalition has been forced to clarify its position on hiring and firing gay teachers and expelling gay students after leaks from the Ruddock religious freedom review.
But what is the review and what do we know so far about its recommendations?
What is the Ruddock religious freedom review?
In November 2017, in the midst of parliamentary debate about how to legislate marriage equality after the historic yes vote, the Turnbull government asked former attorney general Philip Ruddock to lead a panel to review the issue of religious freedom.
The panel consisted of Ruddock; the president of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Rosalind Croucher; barrister and former judge Annabelle Bennett; Father Frank Brennan and academic Nicholas Aroney.
The panel received more than 15,500 submissions. Submissions from marriage equality groups and unionscalled for an end to exemptions in discrimination law that allow religious organisations to discriminate on the basis of sexuality.
Religious organisations including the Catholic church, the Anglican archdiocese of Sydney, Christian Schools Australia and the Freedom for Faith group, called for a religious freedom act to give religious institutions a positive right to uphold their values in employment practices.
The panel reported to the Turnbull government in May.