PMdenies LGBT school expulsions

Scott Morrison says there is no evidence LGBT students have been expelled from religious schools on the basis of their sexuality.

Amid renewed debate over the government’s religious discrimination bill, a signature policy the coalition took to the last election but failed to implement, the prime minister did not commit to an exact timeline for amendments.

Morrison said the sex discrimination amendments preventing LGBT students being expelled on the basis of their sexuality would be addressed sequentially, after the religious bill was dealt with, but did not say how soon after.

Five government MPs crossed the floor on the matter when the bill was debated earlier this year in order to protect LGBT students.

However, the prime minister said he had not seen reports of LGBT students being expelled.

Morrison denied the government was hiding its agenda from voters ahead of the May 21 election.

The prime minister said the government’s stance on the religious discrimination laws remained the same, despite it not being legislated in the last parliamentary term.