Latest news with #propertyconference
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
I was at the real estate conference when Kamala Harris spoke... I had just one question: 'What was she talking about?'
A buyer's agent claims she 'lost focus' and didn't find it 'super engaging' when former US vice president Kamala Harris gave a speech at an Australian event. Australian Real Estate Conference attendees were shocked to learn Harris had been booked as a surprise guest at the Gold Coast event on Sunday. The 2024 presidential candidate was among several property experts and entrepreneurs across Sunday and Monday who shared their wisdom with more than 4,000 property professionals. Harris described home ownership as 'one of the greatest challenges' Gen Z faces, recalled her experience refusing a $4billion deal from major banks to settle dodgy mortgage deals as California 's attorney-general, and took aim at Elon Musk. However, she also left the audience baffled as she discussed a range of topics away from property including women's reproductive health, her mother and humility with the conference founder John McGrath. Mecca Property Group buyer's agent Ella Cas, 24, attended the conference and struggled to follow the former vice president's hour-long on-stage interview. 'The way she speaks I don't know if it's media training, but she will answer a question, try to tell a story and then repeat her answer,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'Honestly, I lost focus every time she was explaining her answer. I didn't find it super engaging, but it was still pretty cool.' The Melbourne-based buyer's agent said she had been sitting in the 'front few rows' and that Harris 'mostly spoke about her career'. 'It was interesting and you can understand why they chose her to run in the election, but how you see her online is exactly what she's like in person,' Ms Cas said. 'She was meant to be talking about real estate, it was a little bit odd.' During a question and answer session, Harris shared a story about her mother and Playboy magazine covers amongst other anecdotes. 'They tried to bring it back to real estate. The host was just super excited to have her there, it's a huge name to have booked,' Ms Cas said. 'But, it was mostly about her career, growing up, her groundbreaking work. 'It was somewhat inspiring for women and pretty cool to be in the same room as Kamala Harris.' Ms Cas praised the 'fantastic' conference and remarked how she heard from a variety of speakers about how real estate 'is going to change over the next 10 years'. Harris was spotted at the ritzy Mosman's Bather's Pavilion restaurant in Sydney, over the weekend and spoke at the conference which cost between $995 and $1,695 for a two-day pass to the event. At one point Mr McGrath said he believed her 'best work is ahead of you, for sure, 100 percent.' 'I am unemployed right now,' she joked. 'Go on, let's speak truth.' When she was asked to give advice to young women in the real estate industry, she repeated her motto about not listening to people who tell them to wait their turn. 'I don't hear no. I eat no for breakfast,' she said.
News.com.au
22-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Inside Kamala Harris' wild card Aussie gig
Former US presidential candidate Kamala Harris is headed to the Glitter Strip as the wild card headline speaker for a property conference, prompting heightened security measures for the 4000 real estate agents attending the annual event. Harris, the Democrat's 2024 candidate who lost to Republication president Donald Trump in November, will take the stage at the two-day Australasian Real Estate Conference (AREC) in her first speaking engagement in Australia. While organisers have hailed the engagement a coup, Harris will be accompanied by a full security detail, with every guest to be screened and scanned by either US Secret Service or venue staff. Harris, who served as the 49th Vice President of the United States and is considered a potential contender for California's next governor, was described as a 'trailblazer' in AREC's promotional material. But her announcement as keynote for the Aussie property fest at the Gold Coast Events Convention and Exhibition Centre on Sunday has drawn mixed reactions. Some commenters have referenced Harris' 'word salad' style of indirect answers during the presidential campaign and at international speaking engagements since then. Delegate numbers are also down by about one-fifth from last year's sellout crowd of 5000. AREC organisers would not disclose Harris' fee for participating in a moderated conversation, while delegates will pay between $995 to $1,695 for a two-pass including access to the main arena where she will appear. Harris will be one of 32 speakers, including Buying in Beverly Hills star Mauricio Umansky, entrepreneur Steven Bartlett, sports coach and mentor Tim Grover and Aussie swim sensations Emma McKeon and Ariarne Titmus. The swimming golden girls will address the audience on mental toughness and overcoming setbacks, the role of teamwork and support systems and how to turn competition into motivation. 'We have always had a reputation for delivering the highest quality and sought after speakers, making it the standout event in the southern hemisphere for our industry. This year's line-up has surpassed our expectations,' founder John McGrath said. Mr Umansky, who founded The Agency and starred on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, will be the keynote speaker on day two of the conference and will share his secrets around topics such as personal branding, building and maintaining client relations, negotiating skills and selling luxury real estate. 'Mauricio will bring a wealth of knowledge in managing high performing teams as he has built an iconic personal brand across the competitive markets of Los Angeles, Miami and New York,' Mr McGrath said.
