Wertheim said that "religion is used as a cloak" when it comes to hate speech.
"That's not what religions teach," he said. "In fact, it's the exact opposite of what religions teach.
"Just get rid of it. We would say that provision just does not belong there."
Australian National Imams Council president Shadi Alsuleiman, who agrees with the law, said: "Faith leaders and faith communities have the complete right to quote any verse or any text from their scripture and interpret that to their understanding."
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, told ABC: "I encourage you to read the Old Testament and see what's there and see if you outlaw that, what would occur.
"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."
