Barnaby Joyce calls for 'Folau's law' to exempt religion from job contracts

The New England MP is calling for laws that exempt religious beliefs from job contracts - effectively giving legal protection to views such as those expressed on social media by rugby star Israel Folau that gay people and fornicators will go to hell.

"What Folau said is that a certain group of actions will, in his view, take you to hell," Mr Joyce said.

"To sack someone for their view about how you arrive at a metaphysical place is kind of bizarre.

"If he had said 'if you do these actions, you'll be sent to a fairy garden at the bottom of a hill', is there still the same right to sack him?"

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Mr Joyce said there was such a thing as "unreasonable terms" in a contract.

"People say he was in breach of a contract - the real question should be: how can you put a term like that in a contract?" Mr Joyce said.

"Freedom of speech is one of the premier rights of our nations, right up there with freedom of religion.

"Religious freedom is the freedom to express it, even if it in some instances it is misinformed. As long as it's not advocating violence."

Mr Joyce doesn't believe the legislation should be nicknamed "Folau's law", however admitted the rugby star's case was the catalyst for the concern.

"[Folau's] religious views are completely unrelated to his job," he said.

"He's there to catch the footy and to run fast. He's not the team pastor. His views on the afterlife are totally irrelevant to his job."

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