No unit owner input as Airbnb rules set

QUEENSLAND’S 480,000 unit owners have been snubbed by the State Government in its bid to combat problems created with the rise of short-term letting websites such as Airbnb and Homeaway, according to Unit Owners Association of Queensland president Wayne Stevens.

Following four industry reference group “round table” meetings with about 20 stakeholders, Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones said a code of conduct would be central to the Government’s response to shortterm letting issues.

This would affect the more than 900 apartments listed on Airbnb and Homeaway in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach – and the owners of neighbouring apartments.

However, Mr Stevens said his association should have been invited to join discussions so it could advocate for the people who live next door to the short-term rentals, which target the tourism market.

Mr Stevens, who lives at Paradise Waters, said UOAQ had 5000 members and was the only voice for the 480,000 unit owners in Queensland, including those on the Coast.

“These are the people who will have to live next door to Airbnb,” he said. “We have heard the expression of balancing the interest of tourism and whatever, but they aren’t balancing that with our interest.”

Under a proposed code of conduct, operators would get a limited number of strikes and then be declared “out’’ if they or their tenants caused trouble.

The number of strikes was yet to be determined, but it is believed it will be decided with the help of the reference group.

The Government’s industry reference group comprised delegates from about 20 associations representing the short-term accommodation industry, traditional accommodation providers, landowners, local government officials and academics.

The Government says there would also be a data-sharing system for the short-term accommodation sector to allow councils to identify anyone letting property as a business.

But Mr Stevens said Queensland did not need new regulations. Instead, it needed the Government to enforce existing legislation.

His association believed that under current planning regulations, such short-term accommodation in residential buildings was illegal. According to the regulations, a residential development did not include tourist accommodation.

Ms Jones said Queensland councils had broad scope to regulate short-term rentals. “Some councils exercise the legislation, others don’t,” she said.

Ms Jones said the Government did not want to target “mums and dads’’ who wanted to make some extra money.

“But it’s important for councils to be able to tell the difference between someone who is renting out their own home and someone who’s running a business,” she said.

Airbnb’s head of public policy in Australia and New Zealand, Brent Thomas, said he welcomed the Government’s proposed reforms.