A legal crackdown on homophobic and sexist online trolling in Victoria will have to await the fate of the federal government’s religious freedom legislation, the state government has warned.

Victoria’s Human Rights Commissioner added to the calls on Wednesday for greater protection from abuse for internet users, saying the state’s anti-vilification laws were outdated in the online era.

Rights commissioner Kristen Hilton. Credit:Darrian Traynor

A push by Reason Party MP Fiona Patten for tough new anti-trolling laws in Victoria was sent to a parliamentary committee on Wednesday morning, in a move that will push the reform process back well into 2020.

Ms Patten hopes to widen the state’s legislation to include hate speech targeting people for their gender, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. At present, the law only covers racial and religious vilification and has resulted in just one prosecution in 17 years.