While the Liberals have tabled a bill to introduce a short stay levy, it doesn’t take the action Tasmanians need to rein in the loss of whole-home rentals to Airbnb. The Liberals should protecting homes for Tasmanian renters by stopping the conversion of important private rentals properties to short-stay hotels.
The loss of Tasmanian homes to Airbnb has made the housing crisis in this state even worse. Expert analysis concludes that it has stripped thousands of homes off the private rental market and driven up rents.
Finding an affordable place to call home is really tough. Things are only getting harder for Tasmanian renters, as the cost of living continues to rise.
But the Liberals have sat on their hands for the last decade and failed to deal with the short stay crisis in the rental market. Airbnb numbers just keep growing. It’s out of control.
The Liberals’ short stay levy isn’t the action Tasmanian renters have been crying out for and it won’t deal with the crux of the problem. If the Rockliff Government was serious about rental property supply, an important step they’d take is to stop allowing whole-homes being lost to short stay accommodation.
