SECRET NSW GOVERNMENT HOLIDAY HOMES

A Gold Coast ‘party house’ is “ruining short-stay’s name”, claims the Australian Short-Term Rental Accommodation Association (ASTRA). The ASTRA spokesperson argues, “short stay hosts should be subject to the kind of legislation traditional providers are bound by”. At the same time, ASTRA is pushing for the unlimited use of residential dwellings as uncertified, unstaffed holiday rentals. Coupled with this, the real story should be the number of homes ASTRA Directors have converted into non-compliant hotel/serviced apartments. ASTRA Director Tim Court for one claims 500 rentals. In Miami Florida, jail time awaits those short-term rental landlords who breach zoning legislation.

The ABC reports that a notorious party house, understood to be owned by a convicted sex offender and taken down from Airbnb’s platform, is being advertised on the South Australian Government’s tourist site. Airbnb’s Brent Thomas says the case of another party house, in Sydney, is “proof the current rules for home sharing in NSW are broken and need to be fixed”. A statement from Woollahra Councilreads that it has been provided with evidence that “unlawful use continued after the expiry of an enforcement order…at this time Council has not issued any fines or commenced court proceedings to obtain an order or injunction. Commencing prosecution to obtain a fine is not being considered”. No further proof needed of a ‘broken’system. When Legislators fail to enforce legislation this equates to “an effective abrogation by the council of its fundamental duties and responsibilities“ - NSW Land and Environment Court.

Having sat behind the Parliamentary Inquiry into the adequacy of regulation covering the short-term rental of homes in NSW, State MP Matthew Kean is now spruiking to the Daily Telegraph: “Inspired by the success of Airbnb, the state government has restored 82 National Parks NSW properties for overnight stays and romantic getaways…”

In August 2018 we asked National Parks NSW if their properties were compliant with current Federal Building Codes. While most properties appear to have been built sometime in the last century, their response was:

“…(National Parks NSW) cabins were compliant with building codes of Australia at the time of installation.”

We again asked National Parks NSW’s short-term premises are compliant. No response as yet. Destination NSW’s CEO wrote (DV19/9, D19/390): “Destination NSW does not carry out regulatory functions, therefore questions… regarding compliance with legislation, regulation and other activities provided by third parties fall outside our remit…”

The Times in the UK is reporting today on the “safety fears over unregulated Edinburgh lets”.

We are in the midst of national “Homelessness Week” – residential housing is for the housing of Residents.