Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called on journalists to delve into the Old Testament to gain insight into the rationale behind exempting religious scriptures from new hate speech regulations.

The newly proposed laws, introduced following the Bondi Beach terror incident, aim to establish a new offense targeting individuals or groups that publicly advocate or incite racial animosity, with violators facing up to five years in prison.

An exception is included, allowing the law to exclude actions that solely involve quoting or referencing religious texts for the sake of religious education or dialogue.

Prime Minister Albanese emphasized that the legislation is designed around a “principles-based test” concerning behavior and expression, justifying the exemption granted to religious writings.

“I urge you to explore the Old Testament and consider the implications if such texts were prohibited,” he remarked to reporters earlier today.

“So we need to be careful. We consulted with faith groups, not just with the Jewish community.

“We want to make sure there’s the broadest possible support for this legislation, but we also want to make sure that there isn’t unintended consequences of the legislation as well.”

However, Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim claimed the defence is a “relic of outdated thinking” and was effectively unnecessary.

“None of the world’s recognised religions promotes racial hatred knowingly and deliberately, and to the extent that any religion were to do so, it would be thoroughly shameful,” he said in a statement.

“Invoking religion as an excuse to dehumanise and mistreat others simply on the basis of who they are, must surely be a thing of the past.”

Albanese yesterday announced parliament will be recalled next Monday and Tuesday – earlier than the scheduled return on February 2 – to debate and potentially pass the bill.

The bill includes a package of reforms that target both hate speech and firearms through the establishment of a gun buyback scheme, stricter gun import rules, harsher penalties for hate speech and stricter migration rules.

“The terrorists at Bondi Beach had hatred in their minds, but guns in their hands. This law will deal with both,” Albanese said.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley yesterday said she was “deeply sceptical” about the decision to combine all the changes into one bill, and is reportedly believed to move to have the bill split in parliament next week.

The Nationals have been openly critical of the proposed gun reforms, saying it would target lawful gun owners.

Albanese denied that it would, instead saying the “common sense” measure would prevent people who are not citizens from owning guns and crack down on gun imports.

“I think Australians would also be surprised to hear the fact that there are more guns in Australia today than there were at the time of the Port Arthur massacre,” he said.

Health Minister Mark Butler said the opposition’s comments highlighted their infighting.

”I think this is more about the divisions within the Coalition around gun control, rather than any artificial distinction between motives and method. Here we committed to dealing with both, and that is the legislation that we deliver next week,” he told Today.

Independent MP Allegra Spender, whose electorate covers Bondi, has raised concerns about the limited scope of the hate speech laws and will seek to expand them to cover all minority groups, including LGBTQI+ people.

”Neo-Nazis target the Jewish community, and they target the Muslim community, and they target the LGBTQ community, but only one group at this stage will be protected by race laws,” she told ABC.

“This is also about consistency.”

Albanese has flagged he would be open to constructive changes, but said he would be surprised if the opposition and Greens did not pass the bill next Tuesday.