Australia's first female federal Muslim MP Anne Aly wants racial discrimination laws broadened so it is illegal to insult followers of Islam.

The Egyptian-born politician's call comes only days after a motion was passed in Canada calling on the federal government to 'condemn Islamophobia'.

While Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wants to remove the words 'insult', 'offend' and 'humiliate' from section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, Labor wants to go the opposite way.

Dr Anne Aly wants the Racial Discrimination Act broadened to cover religious-based insults

Labor's Dr Aly, a counter-terrorism expert before she was elected to parliament in 2016, has argued there is 'scope to reassess' extending section 18C so the definition of race 'extends to religion'.

'I find it a little bit strange that someone can call you a "dirty Arab" and that be covered under the bill, but if they called you a dirty Muslim, you're not covered [under 18C],' she told The Australian.

'There's scope there. I'd like to see that discussion happen because I think we have definitely seen an increase in anti-Islamic rhetoric.'

The Perth-based MP also claims Muslim women were having their hijabs ripped off.

Islamic activists have also been outspoken critics of the Turnbull Government's plans to amend the Racial Discrimination Act so people are only covered by 18C if they 'harass' or 'intimidate' someone on the basis of their race.

Islamist psychologist Hanan Dover described the government as 's****' on her Facebook page and praised Dr Aly as a 'federal minister' even though she's in opposition and doesn't even hold a shadow frontbench position.

Islamist psychologist Hanan Dover has praised Muslim MP Anne Aly as a 'bad***'

Psychologist Hanan Dover refers to Dr Aly, an opposition backbencher, as a 'federal minister'

'When you're a bad*** federal minister like Anne Aly asking the PM Malcolm Turnbull an important and very simple and question on 18C Racial Discrimination Act and he couldn't answer it, this is the look you give,' she said with an image of her in parliament.

Ms Dover is also campaigning to stop Somali-born Islam critic Ayaan Hirsi Ali from touring Australian next month and has previously represented accused terror suspects.

Dr Aly's call to amend racial discrimination laws to include religion comes a week after Victoria's Multicultural Affairs Minister Robin Scott threatened to strengthen state laws that already curb the right to criticise religion.

'We will review Victoria's Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 to consider ways to strengthen legislative protections, should the federal coalition be successful with their amendments,' he said.

Religious vilification laws potentially threaten secular values and open the door to blasphemy cases if they are legally exploited by religious groups.

Labor, the Greens and some crossbench senators including Nick Xenophon have indicated they will defeat the government's proposed changes to 18C in the Senate.

