Greens politician Caroline Le Couteur said while the scheme was designed to protect some of the most vulnerable Canberrans from institutionalised abuse, it had failed in its charge before the scheme even came into effect.

"It appears that not all religious instructors are covered by the scheme in all instances, potentially placing vulnerable members of our community at risk," Ms Le Couteur said.

The scheme, which comes into effect on July 1 this year, was imported almost directly from NSW, where it only covers clergy attached to a school or residential care organisations.

At the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on Wednesday, the executive director of strategic policy and cabinet in the Chief Minister's directorate Geoffrey Rutledge admitted the incoming ACT scheme did not cover "religious activities".

This was despite the ACT government previously telling Fairfax Media "the scheme certainly includes all religious institutions who provide these services to children in the ACT".

Director-general of the Community Services directorate Michael De'Ath told the royal commission he understood clergy engaging in pastoral or presbytery work would be excluded under the current legislation.

"I understand if clergy fall under categories where, for example, they are associated with schools or services, that there is a requirement to report. I understand that where they fall within categories that are providing services, or under the other categories we have for mandatory reporting, then they are required to report, otherwise, they would be voluntary reporters."

Mr Rutledge said there have been some public calls recently for the extension of the scheme.

"The Chief Minister has agreed that we will need to refine the scheme into the future so that it meets both those calls but also the community expectation," Mr Rutledge said.

Those public calls actually came from within the Catholic Church itself.

Last month Canberra's Catholic Archbishop Christopher Prowse told the royal commission the ACT needed to "raise the bar" on its incoming reportable conduct scheme.

He said he and his brother bishops in NSW had written to the NSW government asking them to include all religious bodies in its reportable conduct scheme.

But, a week after his appearance, it was revealed he had decided to move a priest he had stood down over inappropriately touching a child to a home for retired clergy next to two Canberra schools without telling the principal of the Catholic school his full background.

"In recent days we've heard reports that the Catholic Church has been unwilling to proactively address concerns that 'people of concern' are housed near children or vulnerable people," Ms Le Couteur said.

"These concerns highlight the need for robust protections to ensure that vulnerable members of our community are protected from abuse, in all forms."

Ms Le Couteur said the government needed to expand the definition of "designated entities" in the legislation to specifically include religious institutions.

She also said the government should consider whether all people with working with vulnerable people clearance should be obliged to report suspicious activity in line with the scheme.

"This raft of robust measures will help ensure that the reportable conduct scheme realises its fundamental purpose- the protection of those most vulnerable in our communities," Ms Le Couteur said.

Bravehearts ambassador Damian De Marco called on the Australian governments to go one step further and link their reportable conduct schemes so alleged offenders can't be "trafficked" between states.

"If someone with adverse findings against them moves from state to state, we need to know where they're going - or what school they're living next to," Mr De Marco said.

"There needs to be accountability from clergy, this recent example cuts to the core of the problem. The only solution is government oversight."