Samurai in the Surf

Readable, fast-paced & fascinating account of the 1980s property boom on the Gold Coast spurred by a flood of Japanese investment. Resulting construction boom changes the face of the Gold Coast — high-rises, golf courses, canal estates. A grand social and economic transformation that applied the theory of Australia as part of Asia. Stirring up of post-war sensitivities led to furious debate about Australia’s national identity. Exploration of the history of Japanese investment and the colourful array of Japanese investment sources that spearheaded the investment. Explores the local community’s view of this stream of foreign money and provides a convincing illustration of the links between 1980s Queensland and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation movement of the 1990s.