Australia’s wealthy real-estate tycoon, Tim Gurner, has issued an apology after his controversial remarks about job losses surfaced. During a property summit hosted by the Australian Financial Review, Gurner, CEO of Gurner Group, stated that workers have become “arrogant” since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and that this attitude is hampering productivity. He further suggested that unemployment rates should increase by 40%-50%. Gurner, with a net worth of $788 million, faced backlash for his comments, which garnered over 24 million views on X. According to the AFR, Gurner’s proposal would result in 270,500 job losses, increasing the unemployment rate from 3.7% to 5.6%.
Gurner stated, “We need to see pain in the economy. We need to remind people that they work for the employer, not the other way around.” He highlighted a shift in employees’ perspectives, claiming that they now believe employers are fortunate to have them. Gurner emphasized the need to eliminate this mindset. Although Gurner observed a decrease in arrogance due to recent layoffs, he maintained that more job losses are necessary. This is not the first time Gurner has faced backlash for his statements; his previous claim that young people cannot afford homes because they spend money on extravagant items like smashed avocado and coffee also drew criticism. Australian lawmakers and US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez condemned Gurner’s remarks.
Labor MP Jerome Laxale described Gurner’s comments as something a cartoon supervillain would say, and Liberal MP Keith Wolahan asserted that Gurner is out of touch with reality, as many families are struggling to make ends meet. AOC commented on the widening pay gap between CEOs and workers, expressing concern over the exorbitant salaries of major CEOs. Gurner later expressed regret for his comments on LinkedIn, acknowledging their insensitivity towards affected employees, tradespeople, and families in Australia dealing with job losses and rising living costs. He apologized for not demonstrating empathy for those in such situations. (Read more worker stories.)
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