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Liberal MP Bridget Archer is prepared to cross the floor over a draft law to enshrine religious freedom.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Prime Minister Scott Morrison offered a compromise late last week to amend the Sex Discrimination Act to prevent schools expelling students because of their sexuality,but some government MPs want this extended to cover teachers.

Ms Archer said the protection for gay and transgender students and teachers should be legislated,but that she would not change her concerns about the Religious Discrimination Act because she believed it would entrench a privilege for religion not available to others.

“I don’t think it’s necessary,” said the Liberal MP,who holds the marginal electorate of Bass in northern Tasmania.

Ms Archer also broke with Mr Morrison last year on the issue of a federal integrity commission,which she wants created as a matter of urgency.

A key concern for Ms Archer and others is a “statement of belief” clause in the bill that protects comments that offend,humiliate,intimidate,insult or ridicule as long as the remarks express a person’s faith – or lack of faith – and are not malicious,do not vilify and do not harass.

“I can’t see a way at it stands at the moment to reconcile the concern I have and the main fear of the bill such as the statement of belief,” Ms Archer said.

“That seems to be the impasse that can’t be bridged.”

Asked if she would cross the floor to reject the bill in its present form,Ms Archer said:“Absolutely yes.”

Another concern,she said,was that the statement of belief clause took precedence over existing Tasmanian protections and she was standing up for her state by preventing that from happening.

One MP questioned why the bill should be listed for debate in the House of Representatives for Tuesday when there was no agreement on the change.

“It’s not a recipe for a happy week,” he said on the condition of anonymity.

Queensland Liberal Warren Entsch said he was not critical of Mr Morrison over the issue,instead blaming former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull for setting up the inquiry that led to the religious freedom debate,but said he had fundamental concerns with the bill.

“There are things for me that are non-negotiable and the statement of belief is,I think,unnecessary,” he said.

Mr Entsch accused one of the peak church groups,the Australian Christian Lobby,of being “anti-Christian” in its attitude to gay and transgender students when it backed a policy at the Citipointe Christian College in Brisbane that branded homosexuality sinful and destructive.

“There is no way in the world we are going to find common ground with them,” he said.

Support for the changes appeared to grow on Friday when two separate parliamentary inquiries,including Labor and Coalition committee members,backed the laws but expressed reservations.

Attorney-General Michaelia Cash said this showed the bills should be passed,while Labor legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus said there were a “number of complex issues” to be discussed before the opposition would finalise its position.

Several Liberals appear to be ready to vote against the changes despite Mr Morrison’s pledge to protect LGBTIQ school students in the Sex Discrimination Act because they believe this should be extended to LGBTIQ teachers before the election.

With several Liberals adamantly opposed to the “statement of belief” clause in the Religious Discrimination Act,the government is yet to secure a consensus on its own side before it might negotiate an agreement with Labor.

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