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Foreign property investors are turning away from Brisbane due to recent racist attacks, says a property consulting group.
Grow Consulting Group said recent news coverage of Brisbane’s racist attacks are “going viral and scaring away foreign property investors”.
The consulting group said negative stories that have attracted global attention include an African security guard being racially abused on public transport, tragic murders of innocent international students and Prime Minister Tony Abbott supporting a burqa ban.
Grow Consulting managing director Ayda Shabanzadeh said international property buyers are "growing cautious” about investing in Brisbane.
“A primary attraction for foreign property investors to Brisbane is the lure of being able to send their children here for a quality education, together with property that is considered very affordable in comparison to similar cities around the world,” she said.
“Brisbane has a property market with massive upside and quality tertiary education providers which are popular among internationals, however, investors are now uncertain about buying property and sending their children here because of the city's perceived racism."
Due to the racist nature of recent headlines, Ms Shabanzadeh said a growing amount of international property investors have “expressed their concerns" about Brisbane’s safety and liveability for international students.
“You have to put yourself in the position of a parent in a foreign country who’s looking to make an investment that will one day benefit their family not just their bank account,” she said.
“They want to invest where there's growth potential, where it's safe and where they can send their children to study and right now Brisbane’s safety and tolerance towards foreigners is undoubtedly under question.”
Ms Shabanzadeh warned that if multicultural relations weren’t improved, Brisbane may struggle to continue to attract foreign property investment.
“It may get to the point where overseas property buyers prefer to consider some European countries which they view as offering a better quality of life, affordable property prices, excellent schooling and greater cultural acceptance,” she said.
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