2019-02-12 Attachment 1 to Item 7 - Short Term Accom Online Platform Issues Paper

If it proceeds this will be Australia’s first complete data set for a whole state, helping policy and
planning processes as well as demographic research through provision of property addresses of all
online short-term listed properties. Note that the Minister avowed that the data provided by platforms
would not be made public.


6.5      City of Busselton, Western Australia
The City of Busselton is a local government area in the South West region of Western Australia,
approximately 230 kilometres south of Perth. It contains two large towns, Busselton and
Dunsborough, and covers an area of approximately 1,454 square kilometres. Similar to Noosa, the
City of Busselton region is a significant tourist destination, and holiday homes have long been a
major part of the local economy, particularly given the proximity to Perth.

According to the Gurran et al report, of the whole homes frequently available as rental stock, 32.9%
are taken up by Airbnb. Airbnb listings amount to 5.4% of all housing in the Shire.

Holiday home stock is now more easily accessible to a much broader and variable tourism market,
effectively shifting the region’s traditional focus as an intra state destination16.

Current Approach:
   Holiday homes are addressed within the local planning scheme, requiring approval subject to
    criteria relating to size, potential amenity impacts, parking, water supply and bush fire safety.
   Busselton has a designated tourism zone, and properties located within the tourism zone pay a
    higher rate, with the additional revenue contributing to the City of Busselton’s budget for tourism
    and events.
   Development approval is required for holiday homes located within the residential zone, in
    addition to a license. Licenses are renewed annually for a fee and are required to have a
    nominated and locally available manager.
   The City of Busselton is able to withdraw a license if the property is not managed property.

Key Issues:
   The introduction of online platforms such as Airbnb has resulted in an increasing number of
    properties being made available for holiday letting, without development approvals or licensing
    in place.
   Properties are advertised and utilised for holiday letting at a higher capacity (number of guests)
    than would be permitted under the terms of a license.
   There is inequality due to licensed and compliant holiday homes being subject to a higher level
    of regulation and checking than holiday homes that are now being listed on online booking
    platforms with necessary approvals and licensing.

Response:
   A continued focus on a regulatory framework which combines local laws and planning provisions
    to implement a register of addresses and subsequent licensing.
   Waiting on the outcome of a parliamentary inquiry into the regulation of short stay
    accommodation, which will include a particular reference to the existing powers available to local
    government authorities (refer to Section 6.2).

Like many other local governments, Busselton is struggling to identify all of the actual property
addresses of short-term rental properties in the Shire order to regulate its approach.



Short Term Accommodation - Online Platform Response Issues Paper                               Page 23