Marginalised groups say the hate associated with the most well-known Nazi symbol can make them feel instantly vulnerable in their communities.
The national director of equality advocacy group Democracy in Colour said on Tuesday Nazi Hakenkreuz, or hooked cross, was enough to make people of colour and members of the LGBTQI+, Jewish and other communities fearful.
“It made me feel unsafe and that myself and others around me could be in danger of physical harm,” Neha Madhok told a parliamentary inquiry looking into legislation for penalties over use of the symbol.
She said that while she supported fines for using the symbol, there could be unintended consequences for sending people to prison.
“By putting people into the prison system, they are far more likely to be exposed to other radical elements, people with far more extremist views,” Ms Madhok said.
Australia-Israel and Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said jail and fines could have an impact, especially on recruitment to extremist groups.
“This legislation is one of the strategies to deal with the evil,” Mr Rubenstein said.
He said political leadership and education were also needed.
However, Larry Stillman from the Australian Jewish Democratic Society said he was concerned someone would pay the fines on behalf of offenders.
Read the article by Dominic Giannini in The Canberra Times and Shepparton News.