Coalition?s religious discrimination bill sends ?dangerous signal?, Muslim groups say

The government's religious discrimination law could place "a heavy burden" on already marginalised Muslim communities because it allows discrimination on national security grounds, Islamic organisations have said.

Scott Morrison has said the proposed legislation should "give Australians of faith confidence - confidence to be themselves and confidence in the country they belong to".

But three organisations have raised concerns about a section of the bill that says it is not unlawful "for a person to discriminate against another person on the ground of the other person's religious belief or activity" for national security reasons.

The exemption applies if the person discriminating "is performing a function or exercising a power relating to law enforcement, national security or intelligence under a law or program of the commonwealth".

The bill says "the conduct constituting the discrimination" must be "reasonably necessary in performing the function or exercising the power".

The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (Aman) said the proposal "imposes a heavy burden on Muslim communities who are already marginalised and feel highly vulnerable".

"There is absolutely no legal justification for authorities to discriminate against communities or people based on their faith," the network said in a submission to the parliamentary joint committee on human rights.