WA plans Airbnb probe

WESTERN Australia will join other states in mounting an inquiry into the regulation of short-stay accommodation services like Airbnb, with the state’s government acknowledging current laws do not adequately cover the new sharing economy.

The WA Parliament’s Standing Committee on Economics and Industry has resolved to investigate the rules around short-term holiday letting in the state, taking into account issues including planning laws, licensing, registration and taxation.

The move has been backed by both sides of Parliament in what leaders say will be a bipartisan approach to the issue.

“I want to make sure that there is wide consultation and a bipartisan approach to reform in this industry,” said WA Planning Minister Rita Saffioti.

“This inquiry is an opportunity to have a committee of Parliament test ideas with the industry and to report back to Parliament and then government,” she said.

The inquiry follows similar processes by other states including a parliamentary investigation currently underway in Tasmania and a raft of new regulatory changes proposed in NSW (TD 08 Oct).

MEANWHILE, businesses emerging around short-term letting continue to evolve, with news today that specialist Airbnb property management company Hometime has acquired Sydneybased service provider Hey Tom.

With the acquisition, Hometime says it is the largest and fastestgrowing provider in Australia.

The company says it allows Airbnb hosts to put their property “on auto-pilot” and is the only entity in Asia to gain Airbnb’s professional co-host status.