Kamala Harris didn’t hold back during her powerful appearance at the 2025 Australian Real Estate Conference, taking sharp aim at Elon Musk, urging people to “remember the 1930s,” and raising serious concerns about AI. Speaking to a fired-up crowd of 4,500 real estate agents on the Gold Coast, the former US Vice President made her presence felt on her first-ever visit to Australia.
During an hour-long onstage interview with real estate heavyweight John McGrath, Harris delivered a passionate critique of modern leadership without mentioning names directly—but her target was clear. She pointed to a certain high-profile figure, widely covered in the media, who recently suggested that empathy is a weakness in Western civilization.
“There’s someone out there being hailed by the press,” she said, referencing a former Trump adviser, “who claims that the strength of a leader lies in how many people they beat down. Imagine that! As if empathy is some kind of flaw. No—it’s a mark of strength to care about others, to be curious about the world around you.”
Her comments were a not-so-subtle rebuttal to Musk, the outspoken Tesla CEO, who in a March podcast with Joe Rogan slammed the Democratic administration for being too soft, calling empathy “a bug” in the system that was being exploited.
Introduced by McGrath as “one of the most successful women in history”, Harris cracked a joke—“I’m unemployed right now”—and received thunderous applause as she walked on and off the stage to Beyoncé’s Halo.
Harris shared stories about her childhood, career, and time as California’s Attorney General, including a tense negotiation with JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon. While she didn’t name Donald Trump, JD Vance, or mention her narrow 2024 election loss, she made pointed remarks about the current US administration’s foreign and trade strategies.
“I’m deeply concerned about the direction the world is taking,” she said. “We mustn’t forget history. The 1930s taught us that isolation doesn’t mean protection. We are all interconnected, and trust, honesty, and strong international relationships matter more than ever.”
Drawing from her 2019 memoir, Harris turned personal stories into empowering lessons for the crowd. She spoke about breaking barriers as the first woman in many of her roles—and how she never let a “no” stop her.
“I eat ‘no’ for breakfast,” she said with a grin. “I’ve heard over and over, ‘You’re not ready,’ or ‘It’s not your time.’ Don’t believe it. Celebrate ambition. Chase it down.”
Harris also touched on why AI makes many Americans uneasy, noting the risks it poses to jobs and the spread of misinformation.
“Yes, let’s cheer on innovation,” she said. “But the prosecutor in me asks: Are vulnerable people being protected? Are we doing enough to keep them safe?”
Other big names at the conference included British entrepreneur and podcaster Steven Bartlett and Sydney real estate leader David Walker. The event, hosted at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, wraps up on Monday. Organizers have remained tight-lipped about speaker fees.
Description:
Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers a bold speech at the 2025 Australian Real Estate Conference, addressing AI concerns, slamming Elon Musk’s empathy comments, and urging the world to remember the lessons of the 1930s. Discover her empowering insights, leadership advice, and strong stance on innovation, global unity, and ambition.