Developer says Australian racists “given too much air time”

The head of one of Australia’s biggest property developers has attacked Australia as being a racist country whose arrogance is negatively impacting urban development.

Matthew Quinn, Managing Director of Stockdale Group told an urban development seminar organised by the Committee for Sydney there are sections of society who are against Australia’s population growth and are hindering the ability of others to prepare for that growth through urban property development.

He said, “for people to say that [Australia] is a non-racist country is just below me.”

He went on to describe Australia as a “democracy gone mad” and claimed “democracy is now hijacking by the vocal minority”, including “racists who are given far too much air time.”

Mr Quinn also says federal immigration and family formation policies -that dictate demand for housing – are not being effectively implemented down through state and local governments as they are inefficiently regulated.

He lamented what he sees as a combination of racism and bureaucratic inefficiency leading to negative perceptions of Australia abroad.

He said racist comments in the media “resonate elsewhere, they resonate overseas. It’s one of the reasons why overseas people don’t want to come here anymore.”

He warned this would hold dire economic consequences, with the most telling recent example being a significant downturn in Indian students coming to study here after the recent controversy surrounding their treatment in Melbourne and Sydney.

However, Mark Franklin, Executive Officer at the Ethnic Communities Council of New South Wales, says Mr Quinn’s remarks are more about ensuring his business continues to grow as the population does.

“Obviously [Mr Quinn] has a pre-conceived interest in freeing up regulation for building permits,” he said.

Mr Franklin was quick to dismiss any suggestions of a racist national mentality, saying, “the overall majority of the country is not [racist].”

Mr Franklin also said it seemed Mr Quinn “may be using a racial argument to free up property development”, something he described as “a long bow to draw.”

Stockland Group’s current assets and activities include both residential and business property, including over thirty shopping centres nationwide, and an extensive residential apartment portfolio.

The Committee for Sydney describes itself as an “independent forum of decision makers taking a leading role in shaping public policy to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for Greater Sydney.”

The Committee is chaired by Stephen Loosely and deputy-chaired by Lucy Turnbull, the wife of former leader of the federal opposition, Malcolm Turnbull.

Mr Turnbull attended the meeting but did not give a formal address.

by Nick Schiavuzzi