Union leaders have warned the government that a religious discrimination bill must not allow faith-based schools to hire staff based on their faith.

Sky News host James Macpherson raises concerns that hiring based on faith is now somehow a “problem”.

“It makes sense, right – I mean, if faith-based schools are permitted to go around hiring people on the basis of faith, they’ll be faith-based, and that’s a problem,” Mr Macpherson said.

“Hang on, isn’t the point of a faith-based school that the staff all share the same faith? Well, no, because according to union leaders, that would be discrimination.

“And trust me, no one understands discrimination on a job site better than union leaders.”