Prime Minister Scott Morrison insists he's not sitting on a report into religious freedoms until after a by-election in the Sydney seat of Wentworth next month.
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Former Liberal minister Philip Ruddock's review was handed to then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in May, after it stemmed from the same-sex marriage debate.
Kerryn Phelps, an independent candidate in the Wentworth by-election, has suggested the government doesn't want to release the report until after the October 20 vote.
"That's rubbish," Mr Morrison told ABC radio on Wednesday.
He says he's only had the report for a month and is working through the details with Attorney-General Christian Porter.
He has not yet taken the report to cabinet.
"The by-election is not the reason, we're working on the report itself, and I'm taking that issue through with the attorney in a very calm and sort of stable way."
The prime minister acknowledged religious freedom was important to communities within Wentworth, where Liberal candidate Dave Sharma is vying to replace Mr Turnbull.
Seeing security guards outside a Jewish temple in Woollahra was "one of the most upsetting things I saw as a young fellow", Mr Morrison said.
"This is Australia. When I go to church on a Sunday, I don't need security guards outside my church or when my kids go to Sunday school, but that's the reality for Jewish Australians, and I just think that's appalling," he said.
"So religious freedom means something very special for that community and they know I'll stand with them, as will Dave Sharma."
Australian Associated Press
