Religious text carve out in hate speech laws 'narrow'

MPs have grilled department figures on whether hate laws would apply to common protest chants. (Sitthixay Ditthavong/AAP PHOTOS)

The quoting of religious texts would be a very specific and narrow exemption to sweeping hate speech laws brought in due to the Bondi terror attacks, an inquiry has heard.

Draft laws have proposed to criminalise hate speech, racial hatred and radicalisation following the Bondi Beach terror attack that claimed 15 lives at a Hanukkah event on December 14.