Religious freedom bill sparks Tasmanian advocates into action, Jacqui Lambie remains cynical

However, a Tasmanian senator remains cynical that the bill will even make it out of the party room.

Christian school leaders met for a discussion forum at the Burnie campus of Leighland Christian School on Monday, airing their concerns to senate candidate for the Jacqui Lambie Network, Tammy Tyrell.

Tasmanian executive officer for Christian Education National Mike Vos said the meeting had drawn people from Christian schools all across the state, including multiple North-West sites.

"The issue for us is the freedom to employ people who are on the same page as us," he said.

"Other candidates may be perhaps equally good and equally competent ... but we believe it's not unreasonable that we would hire staff who have the ethos of the school.

"We also want our staff to be free to say what they believe."

When asked if the bill might unfairly favour the interests of teachers over students, Mr Vos explained that teachers would still be fully qualified and expected to be respectful and compassionate.

"They're not going to last five minutes with families or kids if they start poking fun at kids' understanding," he said.

"People choose to send their kids to our school deliberately, and put their hands in their pockets for it. In the end nobody has to send their kids to our schools - they choose."

Meanwhile Equality Tasmania has also taken a front foot on the issue, saying that the bill will mean the "rights and dignity" of people with disability will be taken away.

Spokesperson Rodney Croome said the bill currently being discussed by the national Liberal Party would target Tasmania's own "gold-standard" discrimination laws, potentially allowing humiliation, intimidation, insults, ridiculing and offensive behaviour - on a range of grounds including disability, race, age, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity - all in the name of religion.

"Tasmania is a more tolerant and inclusive place because of our strong anti-discrimination law and it is an act of human rights vandalism for the federal government to seek to override this law," Mr Croome said.

"We call on Premier Peter Gutwein, opposition leader, Bec White, as well as Tasmania's federal representatives from all parties, to stand up for the right of Tasmanians to make our own human rights laws."

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Disability Voices Tasmania spokesperson Fiona Strahan said too many people with disability were being subjected to offensive behaviour in the name of religion.

"People try to heal us by casting out demons, or tell us our disability is because our parents were sinners," she said.

"A religious carve out from section 17(1) will mean people with disability who experience religious-based prejudice, humiliation or bullying will have no recourse."

However, Mr Vos argued that the bill was more about protecting schools when it came to hiring people who aligned with the organisation's beliefs, which they currently are able to do.

"To date it has rarely been an issue," he said.

"But we are increasingly seeing activists trying to make a statement. Says there's an application that says we want someone who is a Christian - then they can say I'm not happy with that, I'll see you at fair work."

When asked for comment, Senator for Tasmania Jacqui Lambie did not specifically speak for or against the bill, but pointed out that it was the third time the federal Liberals had attempted to get it through parliament.

"I'll hear people out on the religious discrimination bill, just like I do every time the Liberal Party decides to dust off this debate," she said.

"But let's be honest. This is the third bill the Liberals have asked the Senate to look at. Apparently they don't even know if this one will make it through their own party room - let alone parliament. You have to wonder if their heart is really in it.

"... life and death problems are where my heart's at. I'm not particularly interested in picking fights on a bill that even the Government admits isn't going to go anywhere."