Despite Coalition opposition, legislation to outlaw discrimination against gays and lesbians by faith-based aged care providers passed parliament.

The bill had been returned from the Senate with support of the Greens.

Senator George Brandis had said that the Coalition supported a prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexuality, however it opposed removing the exemption for religious organisations.

''The right of people to fair treatment, a precious value, must take its place alongside other precious values, and one of those precious values is freedom of religion,'' he said.

Both Mission Australia and UnitingCare argued against the exemption.

Mission Australia said in a submission to a Senate inquiry: ''We do not consider such an exemption should apply to the provision of goods and services such as residential aged care.''

UnitingCare, another faith-based aged-care provider argued that: ''Society expects the delivery of culturally appropriate aged care services to older Australians and should expect nothing less than appropriately responsive aged care services to older LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) Australians. Religious groups should be no exception to the delivery of non-discriminatory aged care services in the community.''