Exclusive: The war between the Housing Industry Association and the Builders Collective took yet another strange turn yesterday with Australian Property Journal learning that the HIA’s chief executive has complained to the Human Rights Commission over racial vilification.
Meanwhile, the HIA executive suing for the Builders Collective for defamation and damage to his reputation has been promoted.
HIA chief Dr. Ron Silberberg told Australian Property Journal exclusively yesterday that he is taking the Builders Collective of Australia to the Human Rights Commission over alleged racial vilification.
Mr. Silberberg alleges that a person going by the nickname of OZKEN on the Builders Collective forum racially vilified him on the Builders Collective forum back in January this year.
National president of the Builders Collective Mr. Phil Dwyer confirmed yesterday that the offending material had been deleted and the person who posted the material had been banned from posting any further comments on the forum.
“I personally apologise to Dr. Silberberg. Any type of racial vilification is disgusting and the Builders Collective does not condone that sort of activity. It is totally un-Australian,” Dwyer said yesterday.
“Both parties should remember this is not about attacking individuals.”
It is believed OZKEN is a HIA member from New South Wales.
In yet another bizarre twist, HIA executive Mr. Christopher Lamont, who is suing Builders Collective head, Mr. Dwyer for defamation over a letter of complaint to the Prime Minister, has been promoted to the position of general manager – business development.
Mr. Dwyer’s letter to the PM complained about the lack of activity by the Small Business department over the builders warranty scandal. Mr. Lamont, at the time, was Small Business Minister MS. Fran Bailey’s chief of staff.
In his statement of claim, Mr. Lamont is suing Mr. Dwyer for damage to his reputation.
By Nelson Yap
