Harvey hurt by “vicious and hateful attacks” on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook

Australia: The SMH reports that 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”.

Harvey has conceded that the launch of full-page advertisements during the  Boxing Day sales period in Australia was ”bad timing” and that the retailers’ message had been poorly communicated.

He said the rise of social media such as Twitter and Facebook had increased the ”vicious and hateful” attacks against him and a fellow Australian retail boss, Solomon Lew.