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

Potentially, a broad approach could be taken, whereby information is prepared by the LGAQ, the
representative local government association in Queensland. Further, the information could be
endorsed by Airbnb, then made available to disseminate to customers, ensuring that communication
and liaison with communities across those impacted Queensland communities is consistent and
standardised.


8.5.2     Complaint Mechanisms
Whilst the incidence of party houses and disruption to residential liveability will be addressed from a
planning perspective by the changes within the new Noosa Planning Scheme, there is still some
merit in proactively advising residents of the best course of action to deal with poor behaviour and
amenity issues, including:
 Reporting of excessive noise to police, giving the police an avenue to give the person responsible
    for the noise (including the host) a noise abatement direction, which directs the person to
    immediately stop the excessive noise and to cease making ‘any’ excessive noise for 96 hours
    after the direction is given.
 Leveraging the self-regulation of amenity that arises on share economy platforms due to the
    heavy reliance on reputational reviews of hosts and guests. There are also mechanisms for
    affected neighbours to make complaints directly to the share economy platform.


8.6       Economic Response Actions
    Consider an enforceable licensing system incorporated into a mandated registration process,
     whereby anyone hosting short stays is required to pay a licensing fee to fund compliance
     activities. Registration compliance can be achieved by requiring licence numbers to be shown
     on all short-term rental advertisements.
    Financially disincentivise unallowable short stay letting by penalising (e.g. fines). The fines need
     to be a value that outweighs the potential or actual income derived from short-term letting a
     property.
    Hold property owners liable and financially accountable for party guests disrupting residential
     amenity or cause damage to public residential areas. This may also indirectly encourage hosts
     to outline clear rules for guests in relation to what is allowed (i.e. no parties, noise time limits etc.)



9.        Guiding Principles
The prevalence and popularity of home owners offering short-term rental accommodation through
online platforms such as Airbnb are having negative impacts that are a major concern for many
councils. As a high-volume tourist destination that economically relies on tourism growth and
sustainability, Noosa is particularly vulnerable to the consequences and impacts of rapidly rising
holiday letting through these platforms.

It is acknowledged that the region’s tourism industry and economy has benefited from the positive
impact of online accommodation share economy sites, however the Noosa shire is also experiencing
adverse consequences including key indicators of over tourism, pockets of tourism gentrification,
loss of residential liveability, reduced permanent rental and housing affordability, and longer term
risks such as damage to the shire’s tourism reputation.




Short Term Accommodation - Online Platform Response Issues Paper                                       Page 37