An Australian real estate agent has been suspended after she sent a racist email to a former Indian tenant and commenting on the cleanliness habits of Indians. She also wrote that she hoped the influx of Indians in the country would not turn it into “the filth that is India’.

The Indian tenant named Sandeep Kumar received the controversial mail on May 2021 when he disputed a cleaning bill deduction from his security deposit, as per reports in Australian media. The mail was sent by Mavin Real Estate director Bronwyn Pollitt in which she described the “overcrowded, overpopulated and dirty squaller” of many countries.

“I as a white Australian believe you and the others come to Australia as you want to enjoy the lovely way of life we enjoy. Clean, fresh air, jobs or if you cannot get a job social support, medical help and no overpopulation,” said Pollitt in the mail.

Commenting on cleanliness habits of Indians, the agent said that it “starts with cleaning the rental properties” and “being mindful of what you have left”. Pollitt later apologised to Kumar and said that she never intended to be racist.

“Firstly, I apologise if you believe I have been racist against you. That was never my intent,” she said.

The mail was submitted to the State Administrative Tribunal in Western Australia, which declared Pollitt unfit to hold a license for real estate and business agents and revoked the same for eight months from September 1. The tribunal also heard that she was under significant pressure during the COVID-19 pandemic, regulatory changes and increased rental conflicts.

Ethnic community advocate Suresh Rajan called for a police investigation into the matter, labelling it one of the worst cases of overt racism he has seen in years and suggesting that it breached the criminal code‘s racial vilification legislation.

(with PTI inputs)

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