Since Dean Winter took over the Labor leadership, we’ve seen a procession of policy backflips, and it seems we might have another one on our hands when it comes to short stay accommodation.
Labor had a clear policy on short stay accommodation at the 2024 election – to “immediately pause the issuing of new permits for whole-of-property short stay accommodation.”
We felt this policy was weak given the scale of the crisis, but at least it was something.
Well, now it seems they’ve abandoned this position too.
During the Greens Matter of Public Importance debate today, we specifically and repeatedly asked Labor to clarify what their policy on short stay is. We got no answer. Instead, the party’s housing spokesperson Shane Broad gave a speech railing against “intervention” in the short stay market.
If Labor’s position had not changed, they would have given a simple answer confirming their long-standing policy still applies. Seeing them dodge the question and talk down any government response to this crisis suggests Labor have now given up on taking the action they promised on AirBnB.
What the Opposition think about short stay really matters, because in this balance-of-power parliament we know reform is possible. It would be a deep shame if Labor are now an obstacle to much-needed reform of whole-home AirBnBs.
