Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Leader and Housing spokesperson
Newly released information on short stay accommodation’s impact on the Tasmanian rental markets highlights the urgent need for the Rockliff Government to step in and put real limits on whole-of-home short-term rentals.
No renter in Hobart would be surprised to hear their city has been dramatically impacted by Airbnb and other short-stay providers. Stories of tenants being evicted from their homes so they could be converted into short-stay accommodation are all too common.
But the sheer scale of this issue compared to other Australian cities is shocking. Hobart has 6.8 times more short-term rentals than Sydney, and 4.5 times as many as Melbourne. Nearly half of these were formerly long-term rentals.
The Liberals have been refusing to acknowledge the devastating consequences of short-stay accommodation for years, saying action isn’t necessary. Their failure to regulate limits on short-stay has fueled the housing crisis, pushing more Tasmanians into financial hardship and towards homelessness.
While the situation is bad now, it has the potential to get even worse unless the Rockliff Government intervenes. We need to see immediate action to tackle the proliferation of whole-of-home short-stay accommodation.
It’s time for Premier Rockliff to step in, and to act in the best interests of the thousands of Tasmanians who are unable to find an affordable, secure place to call home.