2020-01-13 GC Agenda - Item 10 - Attachment 1 - Report on the Sustainable Tourism Stakeholder Reference Group

to on-street parking, rubbish management, noisy visiting pets, and, at a more nuanced level, disruption to
sense of community for residents living beside or near to such rental properties.
Noosa Council has been at pains to note that such problems primarily relate to the properties that are let in
their entirety, not to those where a spare bedroom or two are let out by a permanent resident – i.e.
genuinely home-hosted properties. Research across Australia suggests that such home-hosted properties are
in the minority of listings, being around a third of all on-line short-stay properties.
The other concern for Council is that the increase in short-stay properties has inevitably resulted in a
reduction of properties available for permanent residents. Research both in Australia and overseas also
suggests that the influx of short-stay properties has an upward pressure on property prices, which in turn
may impact on the availability of affordable accommodation.
Good academic research in places like Byron Bay confirms that, particularly in tourism hot spots, the arrival
of short-stay on-line platforms has resulted in significant displacement of permanent residents. This, in turn,
impacts on local community organisations through reducing volunteer numbers, and it also impacts on traffic
congestion with increasing numbers of workers having to live outside the shire and drive in for work.
There is no doubt that these issues polarise attitudes. Those who view the matter through the prism of the
local economy are most inclined to support a free market approach to short-stay. Those who are inclined to
view the problem through a social lens are more likely to focus on the negative impacts. Any proposed
restrictions on short-stay are viewed by some people as having a serious negative impact on the local
economy by hampering development of local tourism.
Responses:
Noosa Council has taken the state lead in seeking answers to issues raised by the escalation of the short-stay
letting market. Council has taken the matter to, and received endorsement from, the Local Government
Association of Queensland. In response to this effort, the Qld Minister for Tourism established a stakeholder
reference group to consider the issues. Noosa Council was one of only two local governments represented
on that reference group. The group last met in June 2018 and the issues have been stalled from proceeding
at a State Cabinet level.
Meanwhile, the draft Noosa Plan has considered a variety of ways to deal with the land use issues arising
from short-stay properties. These have received considerable focus in submissions to two drafts of the
scheme. Council has also flagged a suggested local law to help manage impacts of short-stay properties. The
draft local law has been written in consultation with a number of property management agents.
These measures have been well documented and information sheets are available from Council.
Tourism Noosa engaged a consultant to develop a submission to the draft planning scheme on their behalf. It
should be acknowledged that there are strongly held views within our community on this issue with some
vehemently opposed to the approach by Council and others vehemently supportive.
What Next?
Noosa Council will seek to have its new planning scheme gazetted. Noosa Council will also continue to refine
its proposed local law on short-stay properties in consultation with stakeholders and the public with a view
to it being adopted in 2020.
Noosa Council will continue to liaise with other local government areas across the nation, as well as the
Local Government Association of Qld and the Queensland Government on the issue of short-stay
accommodation.




                                                                                                10 | P a g e