SMH Harvey hurt by buyer backlash Mathew Murphy: January 7, 2011
THE Harvey Norman founder, Gerry Harvey, will step back from the retailers' campaign for GST to be imposed on overseas online purchases, saying he is hurt by the avalanche of criticism directed at him and feels that getting involved was ''suicidal''.
He said the rise of social media such as Twitter and Facebook had increased the ''vicious and hateful'' attacks against him and a fellow retail boss, Solomon Lew.
''You might have got a nasty phone call or a letter back in the old days but now anything slightly controversial, these people, whoever they might be, they go for you zealously and with hatred all over Twitter,'' Mr Harvey said. ''If you are a CEO of a company and you speak out and then the board gets involved... it is suicidal.
Boo Hoo Gerry, seems now the people have a better conduit for self expression. Ah, the playing fields are leveling and someone doesn't like feedback! Welcome to the new world, Gerry's finally catching up, time to retire....
