A real estate agent in Australia has been suspended for sending a racist email to a former Indian tenant, criticizing the cleanliness habits of Indians and expressing concerns about their presence in the country. The incident occurred when Sandeep Kumar disputed a cleaning bill deduction from his security deposit, and the email was sent in May 2021.
In the email, Bronwyn Pollitt, the director of Mavin Real Estate, compared Australian living standards to what she described as the “overcrowded, overpopulated, dirty squaller” of many countries, including India. She also expressed the hope that Indian migrants would not turn Australia into “the filth that is India”.
The email was submitted to the State Administrative Tribunal in Western Australia, which found Pollitt unfit to hold a real estate and business agents license for eight months starting from September 1. In the email, Pollitt stated that she believed Indian migrants came to Australia to enjoy a better way of life, but emphasized the importance of cleaning rental properties and being mindful of their actions to prevent Australia from becoming like India.
Following the incident, Pollitt apologized to Kumar, stating that she did not intend to be racist. She explained that she was under significant pressure at the time due to the Covid-19 pandemic, regulatory changes, and increased rental conflicts.
The incident has sparked outrage, with ethnic community advocate Suresh Rajan calling for a police investigation into the matter. Rajan labeled it one of the worst cases of overt racism he has seen in years and suggested that it may have violated the criminal code’s racial vilification legislation.
Sources:
– News.com.au