Qantas will keep up social issue comments

Qantas boss Alan Joyce said his airline was "not going to pull back" on commenting on social issues despite government criticism.

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, Mr Joyce said if he wasn't commenting on social and economic issues, then he wasn't doing his job as chief executive.

The government had recently told business to focus on jobs and growth, not social and environmental issues.

But Mr Joyce said he had hosted a press conference with the prime minister at a Qantas hangar to spruik the coalition's proposed tax cuts.

"We're not going to pull back on what we say on social issues because that's important to employees, customers and shareholders," Mr Joyce said.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese told a Business Council of Australia event on Wednesday it was wrong for the government to urge business to "stick to their knitting".

He said the most successful businesses operated in ways that reflect the values of their employees and their customers.

"You are not just takers of profit. You see yourselves as part of the community," Mr Albanese said.

Mr Joyce said he also hoped the government would consult with business on their proposed religious discrimination bill, which would prohibit discrimination of employees expressing their religious views.

He said his airline wanted to "encourage diversity and inclusion".

The bill came about after Wallabies player Israel Folau was sacked from the Australian rugby union team for sharing homophobic content on social media.

Mr Folau is arguing he was expressing his religious views despite the content breaching Rugby Australia's code of conduct.

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said it was up to business leaders whether they got involved with social issues.

"But they also need to make sure ... they're engaging in public policy debates that do go to their bottom line and do go to making sure that they are in the best possible position to employ as many Australians as possible," Senator Birmingham told the ABC.

"Not things that just make them feel good, but things that go to creating those jobs and that wealth for Australians."