PHOTO: Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. FILE
Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has made headlines down under—but not for reasons that sit comfortably with Australian property insiders.
In her first-ever trip to Australia, the Democrat-turned-unemployed-politician took the stage at the Australian Real Estate Conference (AREC) on the Gold Coast and offered her thoughts on how we should fix our housing crisis.
From D.C. to the GC: Kamala’s Unexpected Take on Aussie Housing
Speaking to an audience of 4,000 real estate professionals, Harris—who lost the 2024 U.S. presidential election to Donald Trump—suggested Australia needs more affordable homes and better incentives for first-home buyers.
Sure, affordable housing is a global issue—but what exactly qualifies Kamala Harris to comment on the Australian market?
“Here and in the United States, we share this issue,” Harris said. “Especially for young families—affordable housing.”
Sound familiar? Because that’s the same speech we’ve heard from every politician for decades.
🏠 Real Estate Agents: Our New “Civic Leaders”?
In a stage interview with AREC founder John McGrath, Harris went further, calling real estate agents “civic leaders” who help families build dignity and intergenerational wealth.
“You allow people to create a place that is not only a symbol of their hard work, but an extension of their dignity,” she told the crowd.
It’s a noble sentiment—but again, what does Harris actually know about the unique dynamics of the Australian property market?
Australia’s housing affordability crisis has roots in local policy, planning laws, supply constraints, and investor pressure—not Washington, D.C. bureaucracy.
Ms Harris was interviewed on-stage by AREC founder John McGrath
💼 From Oval Office to Open Homes?
Harris, who joked that she’s currently “unemployed,” drew parallels between real estate and politics, calling both a “bloody knuckle sport.”
But while real estate agents were flattered by her praise, not everyone was buying her newfound passion for property advocacy—especially in a country she’s never visited until now.
“It’s odd,” one agent at the conference remarked off the record. “She’s never lived here, worked here, or even seen the inside of an Aussie home loan approval.”
🎤 Politics, Property, and… Elon Musk?
In between her housing advice, Harris also weighed in on Elon Musk and artificial intelligence.
Taking aim at Musk’s controversial comments about empathy being a “weakness” in the West, she fired back: “No, it is a sign of strength to care about others.”
She acknowledged that AI is a powerful tool for data but warned that fears about job loss are real and valid.
She spoke about Elon Musk and AI as well as housing affordability
🤔 So, Why Was Kamala Here?
That’s the question many were asking after her keynote.
Sure, she brought star power to the conference, walking on stage in a navy pantsuit to Beyoncé’s Halo and earning a standing ovation. But did she bring anything new to the housing conversation—or just reheated rhetoric from U.S. campaign trails?
In a country grappling with soaring property prices, rental stress, and policy gridlock, many in the room couldn’t help but wonder: Why is Kamala Harris telling Australians how to fix our housing market?
SOURCE: REALESTATE.COM.AU