[WA] McGowan Government responds to short-stay accommodation inquiry

Discussion in 'Airbnb & Short Term Letting' started by thydzik, 12th Feb, 2020.

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  1. thydzik

    thydzik Well-Known Member

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    Media statement - McGowan Government responds to short-stay accommodation inquiry

    Wednesday, 12 February 2020
    • Whole-of-Government response to recommendations of parliamentary inquiry
    • Variety of accommodation options essential for thriving tourism industry
    • Registration process for all WA accommodation providers to be developed
    The McGowan Government is adopting nearly all of the recommendations arising from the recent parliamentary inquiry into short-stay accommodation.

    The whole-of-Government response to the 2019 Parliamentary Inquiry Levelling the Playing Field - Managing the impact of the rapid increase of Short-Term Rentals in Western Australia aims to introduce better management of the industry at a community level.

    Led by Jessica Shaw MLA, the inquiry presented 10 recommendations to improve outdated and inconsistent policy governing short-term rentals, and create greater certainty for the tourism industry, accommodation providers and guests.

    The inquiry found that short-term rentals are a genuine income source for some people and are increasingly widely used by guests; however there was no regulation of the industry and numerous examples of adverse impacts on neighbours and local communities.

    The State Government has adopted a whole-of-Government approach to respond to the recommendations, including investigating appropriate regulatory or legislative frameworks that can meet the needs of this rapidly changing sector.

    A key recommendation is the adoption of a flexible, low cost and simple registration scheme for all short-term accommodation providers across the State.

    Some of the actions to be undertaken include:

    • amending land use definitions to differentiate between hosted and un-hosted accommodation;
    • investigating the introduction deemed provisions into all planning schemes for hosted accommodation to be exempt from local government approval;
    • developing legislative or regulatory mechanisms to require the display of a valid registration number for short-term rentals advertised on online platforms;
    • updating strata title guidance to include powers and processes open to strata companies to manage short-term rentals; and
    • development of an education campaign to ensure owners, property managers and purchasers are aware of their obligations regarding short-term rental properties.
    An interagency working group has now been established and the State Government is committed to working with local governments and accommodation providers to ensure that all short-term rental properties are registered and display a valid registration number.



    Comments attributed to Planning Minister Rita Saffioti:

    "The McGowan Government is committed to achieving appropriate regulatory reform for Western Australia, and that includes providing clear and consistent guidance for the benefit of both short-stay accommodation providers and the broader community.

    "We acknowledge the value that the community places on having access to short-term rentals and the contribution this sector is making to our economy through emerging service industries and new jobs - but we must also make sure there are appropriate protocols in place to ensure sustainability and support our traditional accommodation providers.

    "This is a complex issue and we acknowledge that local governments across the State have had good and bad experiences in this sector - and that they will have specific requirements that need to be considered moving forward.

    "The real estate industry, planners, developers and local governments need clear guidance on requirements for the short-stay accommodation market and we will take a co-ordinated approach across Government to achieve this.

    "It is important that we support this valued and emerging part of our tourism industry and that we develop the appropriate governance to ensure visitors to Western Australia have a choice of accommodation options now and into the future.

    "Any registration scheme for short-term rental accommodation will ensure that guests know that they are protected and will be supported by a public education campaign for owners, property managers and purchasers."
     
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  2. thydzik

    thydzik Well-Known Member

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    I've started to try short-stay again myself, I think it is a good thing, registration doesn't sound like too much of a burden, and it will help to differentiate against those that chose not to register.
     
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  3. Perthguy

    Perthguy Well-Known Member

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    This is all looking good to me at this stage. My partner is running an airbnb and put a lot of effort into setting it up properly. There are some in our area that are a bit dodgy and I'm hoping registration will either lift standards or knock out dodgy operators.
     
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  4. thydzik

    thydzik Well-Known Member

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    Tourism set for red tape tangle — CCIWA
    Chris Rodwell
    CCIWA Chief Executive Officer
    Western Australia would become the only state saddling Airbnb and other short-stay accommodation platforms with onerous and unnecessary regulations under proposals outlined by the State Government.

    The State Government appears set on embracing calls for increased red tape in the sharing economy, which will only remove choice for visitors, make accommodation more expensive and deter visitors to our state.

    Changes proposed by the State Government’s Inquiry into Short-Stay Accommodation would render existing, legitimate short-stay hosts non-compliant, putting them at risk of large fines and significant legal penalties. In some areas, un-hosted short-stay accommodation may be disallowed completely.

    These arrangements are much more onerous than in other states, putting Western Australia’s tourism sector at a distinct disadvantage.

    Ultimately, this will reduce the incomes of families that make accommodation available on online platforms, as well as small businesses in the retail sector, and cafes and restaurants.

    The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA (CCIWA) urges the Government to put jobs and the growth of the tourism sector back at the forefront of this process.

    While CCIWA welcomed the State Government’s recent $10 million investment to boost regional tourism and flights, the decision to regulate short-stay accommodation providers would appear to counter this good work. In this context, 60,000 Airbnb guests alone would have made shorter visits to WA, or chosen not to visit at all if sharing economy accommodation was not available, representing a loss of $54 million in spending.

    While the decision announced yesterday may suit some operators in the tourism industry, it won’t help grow the sector as a whole and runs contrary to the State Government’s stated intentions to diversify the economy. It also works against efforts to reduce the regulatory burden on WA businesses, which the Government is pursuing through the Streamline WA initiative.

    CCIWA recognises there is a role for a state-wide, light-touch regulatory framework, modelled on the successful approach of South Australia and New South Wales.

    The Government should look to this approach to ensure its changes do not compromise the local tourism industry and its efforts to grow and diversify the economy.
     
  5. Perthguy

    Perthguy Well-Known Member

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    @thydzik I am in the process of setting up a second airbnb and I don't believe the regulation will be unnecessary or onorous. Time may prove me wrong but nothing coming out from the government alarms me at this stage
     
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  6. thydzik

    thydzik Well-Known Member

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    I agree.
    I think there may be issues if you own an apartment and the majority owners are against short-term letting. Seems that they will be able to vote to ban it in the by-laws.
     
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  7. Perthguy

    Perthguy Well-Known Member

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    Yes. Strata is another issue. I owned a strata years ago. Never again.
     
  8. spoon

    spoon Well-Known Member

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    It depends on what is needed to gain registration. If it is benchmarking a hotel type commercial standard, then there would need to be significant upgrading of fire safety installations and other requirements. It might be costly as the current AirBnB concept is really renting a room out with common use of facilities. How good the place and the stay is was based on public comments, so any guest can choose what he wants.
     

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