Barefoot Investor Scott Pape hits back at woman who called him a ‘racist’ and ‘bigot’ after he weighed in on Australia’s housing crisis

Barefoot Investor Scott Pape has hit back at a woman who called him a “racist” and a “fanatic” after he spoke out about rising immigration rates.

Last week, Mr Pape wrote a column questioning why Australia is welcoming record inflows amid a crippling housing crisis.

“Yes, it will take more than just immigration to solve the housing crisis,” he said

‘There are the tax breaks that favor investors, a real lack of supply and more social housing needs to be built.

‘Yet the fact remains that, as things stand, overseas arrivals are outpacing new home construction at a rate of almost four to one.

‘Why are we currently bringing in 2,000 new migrants a day – 659,800 last year – while the rental market is in crisis?’

Mr Pape compared the situation to an attempt to overpopulate a pasture with too many ‘sheep’ on his family’s farm.

“Our politicians like to crow about how we are the ‘lucky country’ that hasn’t had a recession in 34 years,” he said.

‘Yet we have largely achieved this by bringing more people to our paddock.’

Despite prefacing the column by saying he is not “anti-immigration” or “xenophobic”, his comments had struck a chord with some Australians.

Reader Yvonne was one of those who was unimpressed.

You are a racist bigot, Barefoot,” she wrote. ‘What nonsense. You have reduced a complex and highly emotional issue to one simplistic factor: housing.’

Yvonne added that the financial guru’s “populist argument” had left out a number of other issues impacting on high levels of immigration.

‘Why are these ‘sheep’ fleeing their country?’ she asked.

‘What economic GOOD will these migrants do for our country, now and in the future?

“Your dinky, populist piece reeked of both racism and NIMBY-ism (Not In My Back Yard). Do it better.’

Pape thanked Yvonne for her feedback on the column and said the housing crisis had been going on for years and that hardworking immigrants were not responsible for the problem.

“I firmly believe that safe, affordable housing is a basic human right, especially as we live in the richest country in the world,” Mr. Pape explained.

‘It all starts at home. And right now there are virtually no rental properties available for people in the bottom 30 percent of incomes, who traditionally rent.”

“As I said in the column, the solution is, to use your word ‘nuanced’ and multifaceted: expand the supply of new housing, end tax breaks that favor investors, and build much more social and community housing,” wrote he.

‘We’re in a hole. It’s time to stop digging.”

Pape questioned why about 2,000 immigrants were welcomed into the country while housing and rental markets were in ‘crisis’

He doubled down on his views, calling for a greater supply of housing, especially social and community housing, while ending tax breaks that “favor investors.”

Net overseas migration totaled 548,800 in the year to September 30, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on Thursday.

The country’s population grew by 2.5 percent to 26.8 million, an annual increase of 659,800 people.

Western Australia had the fastest growing population, up 3.3 percent from the previous year.

Victoria was in second place with growth of 2.9 percent, while Tasmania had the least growth at 0.3 percent.

Australia added 172,700 people in the July to September quarter last year, while net overseas migration was 145,200.

The government said its push to reduce net migration is unlikely to be reflected in the latest data.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said migration and population figures were lower than expected.

Following a review, the government has reduced the number of student visa approvals in an effort to stop the distortion of the international education system.

According to government forecasts, net overseas migration will be halved next year.