Conservative government MPs are still champing at the bit to change Australia's race hate speech laws despite a parliamentary committee's failure to make a recommendation on section 18C.
The joint committee on human rights has made 22 recommendations, tabled in the lower house on Tuesday, to be considered by the federal government.
Chair of the joint committee on human rights Ian Goodenough says government should direct resources to preventing serious incidents of racism rather than "cartoons and trivial matters".
He says mainstream Australians deserve the same rights as racial and ethnic minorities.
"It is important the law does not promote reverse discrimination," he told parliament.
"It is not the role of the government to police petty social misdemeanours."
Liberal senator Eric Abetz was unhappy the committee failed to reach a conclusion on 18C, saying it must be amended as a matter of priority.
"Unless urgent reform is progressed, we will continue to see outrageous claims brought forward like we've seen with the QUT case and the Bill Leak case," Senator Abetz said.
He supported the idea of giving the Human Rights Commission more tools to deal with problematic or vexatious complaints.
His colleague James Paterson said the report was a "big step forward" on reforming 18C.
"It's now up to the government to decide exactly which path to take," he said.
The Institute of Public Affairs said it was disappointed the committee failed to recommend the complete repeal of 18C.
"Deleting section 18C altogether is the only certain way to restore free speech," director of policy Simon Breheny said.
The committee has recommended sweeping changes to the operation of the Australian Human Rights Commission, including that it offer reasonable assistance to respondents of complaints.
It's recommended time limits for the handling of complaints, refundable complaint lodgment fees, and an ability for respondents to complaints to apply to terminate the case.
It's also recommended the commission be empowered to order complainants and practitioners to pay costs in order to prevent frivolous claims and for complaints to be terminated where there are no reasonable prospects of success.
Amnesty International Australia said it welcomed the committee's decision not to "rubber stamp racism".
"We hope this proposition is now well and truly put to bed," spokeswoman Stephanie Cousins said.
Section 18C makes it an offence to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate an individual or people based on race.
