Former US Vice President Kamala Harris weighs in on Aus housing crisis

Former American Vice President Kamala Harris pictured speaking at the AREC 2025 Conference on the Gold Coast Picture: Supplied

Former US presidential candidate Kamala Harris has weighed in on the Australian housing crisis and the role of real estate agents in solving it.

Ms Harris, who served as the 49th Vice President of the United States, addressed an audience of about 4000 at a real estate conference on the Gold Coast in a wide-ranging conversation also referencing AI and Elon Musk.

The Democrat’s 2024 candidate, who lost to Republication president Donald Trump in November, took to the stage for the two-day Australian Real Estate Conference (AREC) during her first visit to the country.

Ms Harris was interviewed on-stage by AREC founder John McGrath

In an on-stage interview with AREC founder John McGrath, Ms Harris said building more affordable houses and incentivising young buyers were some of the necessary steps to boost home ownership.

“Here and in the United States, we share this issue, which is a phenomenal issue especially for young families – affordable housing,” Ms Harris said.

“Part of my platform was and includes that government really needs to work much more closely with the private sector to be clear about what the incentives are, as well as the disincentives, to build more housing.”

“When you look at [Gen Z], among the many challenges they face, greater than any previous generation, the dream of home ownership is one of the greatest.”

It was the first time Ms Harris had visited Australia

The former politician – she later quipped she was currently “unemployed” – described real estate, like politics, as a “bloody knuckle sport”.

But despite the professions’ shared reputation for disingenuity, she said real estate agents could be considered “civic leaders” in connecting buyers with suitable homes.

“You allow people to actually implement their dream of creating a place that is not only a symbol of their hard work, but an extension of their dignity,” Ms Harris said.

“You allow people to have a home, and for the vast majority of these folks, it is the most intricate and most significant financial arrangement they’ll ever be in.

“It represents for them intergenerational wealth. It is their peace. It is the place they will create family memories. It is the place in which they can feel a sense of pride in their identity.”

She spoke about Elon Musk and AI as well as housing affordability

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Dressed in a navy pant suit and entering to a standing ovation while Halo by Beyonce played, Ms Harris was also critical on billionaire Elon Musk’s controversial view on empathy, broadcast in a recent podcast with Joe Rogan.

“There was someone that is very popular these days, at least in the press, who suggested that it is a sign of the weakness of Western civilisation to have empathy,” she said.

“No, it is a sign of strength to have some level of curiosity and concern and care about the wellbeing of others.”

On AI, she said machine learning offered a “great tool” for data interpretation, though peoples’ real concerns of the technology taking their jobs should not be discounted.

The conference continues on Monday.

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