Appeal to state in Airbnb war

UNIT owners want the State Government to back a crackdown on apartments advertised as Airbnbs being used for wild drug parties on the Glitter Strip.

The Bulletin in a report yesterday revealed up to 20 people were gathering inside twobedroom apartments in Surfers Paradise, where they were smoking pot and urinating over balconies.

The Gold Coast City Council after a complaint stopped the short-term rentals but body corporates along with the Unit Owners Association are calling on the Government to ensure an investigation by the Ombudsman and introduce tougher laws.

The body corporate chairman of a Gold Coast Highway three-level building has written to Surfers Paradise MP John-Paul Langbroek, who sought a response from Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath.

“We find it incredible that one unit holder can change the material use over the objections of the other 75 unit holders, a lot of whom are retirees,” the body corporate chair said.

Ms D’Ath urged the chairman to contact the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management as the Government monitored NSW reforms to toughen up its Strata Schemes Management Act, giving more powers to body corporate committees.

“The Queensland Government will be interested in the outcomes of the NSW reforms, which are expected to be reviewed by the NSW Government 12 months after the code is introduced,” Ms D’Ath said.

Unit Owners Association of Queensland president Wayne Stevens has asked Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to ensure the Ombudsman completes an “impartial review” into councils.

A spokesperson for the Premier said Mr Stevens’ letter had been referred to Tourism Minister Kate Jones, who has a reference group looking at online tourism portals.