WATCH: Australia's mogul wants unemployment to double so 'arrogance' of workers can be cured

Prominent Australian millionaire Tim Gurner has ignited a global controversy with his recent statement saying people were paid a lot to do a lot less during the COVID pandemic and it has had a massive effect on productivity. He said unemployment should increase twofold as a lesson to workers who display arrogance. Gurner, who transitioned from owning gyms to becoming a real estate tycoon, expressed the need for economic hardship, asserting, “We must hurt the economy.” He was in the news earlier for saying that young people struggle to buy homes due to excessive spending on avocado toast. A video capturing Gurner’s remarks has gone viral, amassing over 23 million views and sparking significant online backlash.

Real estate developer Tim Gurner says we need more pain, more layoffs, and higher unemployment in the economy to “kill” the arrogance of workers.

Stop calling these people job creators. Businesses do not exist to create jobs. They exist to create profit.pic.twitter.com/LROIzGpr7l

— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) September 13, 2023

During a property summit this week, the 41-year-old attributed deteriorating work ethics to the Covid-19 pandemic, citing builders as a prime example. He contended that this shift is negatively affecting productivity in the industry, coupled with more stringent regulations, contributing to Australia’s housing shortage. Gurner recommended that Australia’s current unemployment rate of 3.7% should rise by 40-50% to counter “arrogance in the job market,” potentially resulting in over 200,000 job losses. He articulated, “A fundamental shift has occurred where employees believe their employers should consider themselves exceedingly fortunate to have them. We need to remind individuals that they are employed by the employer, not the other way around.” These remarks come at a time when many companies are grappling with their workforce over issues like remote work and wages. Shifting employment attitudes are also generating widespread discussions on social media, giving rise to hashtags such as “quiet quitting,” which reflects the decision to cease exceeding expectations for employers, and “lazy-girl jobs,” describing well-paying, flexible positions that offer improved work-life balance. Gurner’s comments, initially shared by the Australian Financial Review (AFR), the host of the summit, have garnered criticism on various social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and LinkedIn. They have also faced condemnation from Australian MPs spanning the political spectrum. Labor MP Jerome Laxale likened them to “remarks you’d associate with a cartoon supervillain,” while Liberal MP Keith Wolahan stated that they “couldn’t be more out of touch.” Wolahan emphasized, “Job loss is not merely a statistic; it results in people on the streets and reliant on food banks.” US lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also weighed in on the property magnate’s comments. “It’s worth remembering that many major CEOs have substantially increased their own earnings to the point where the CEO-to-worker pay ratio is now at some of the highest levels ever recorded,” she posted on X. However, some, like Minerals Council of Australia chairman Andrew Michelmore, defended Gurner. Michelmore argued, “Employees have become accustomed to earning the same income without putting in the same effort,” in an interview with the AFR. Gurner serves as the CEO and founder of the Gurner Group, with an estimated net worth of A$929 million (£479m; $598m). He has previously acknowledged receiving loans from his grandfather and former employer, which facilitated his journey as a business owner.