Faith leaders' opinions on refugee intake

HOW RELIGIOUS GROUPS REACTED TO REFUGEE DECISION:

MELBOURNE ARCHBISHOP PHILIP FREIER

* Said the government's decision was surprising but welcome. He welcomed the government's focus on persecuted religious and ethnic minorities because "their position will remain desperate no matter which side has the advantage in Syria's Civil War".

SYDNEY ANGLICAN ARCHBISHOP GLENN DAVIES

* Archbishop Davies has written to all parishes under his jurisdiction to urge them to help refugees when they arrive. He surged the government not to preference any minority group.

SYDNEY CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP ANTHONY FISHER

* He welcomed the commitment and urged the government to preference persecuted Christians from Syria and Iraq and other religious minorities.

THE LEBANESE MUSLIM ASSOCIATION

* Supports the government taking in more refugees but says intake should be based on needs not religion.

HINDU COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF VICTORIA

Chairman Abhay Awasthi said his community supported taking more Syrian refugees from all religions and ethnicities.

"Minorities should not be given priority but their interests should be looked after. Minorities have always been persecuted in Arab countries," Mr Awasthi said.