2021-06-16 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                                   16 JUNE 2021


Submission Topic   Detail
                   By having a rate differential from .003266 (the new proposed rate for PPR) to .005855
                   for the new classification of PPR plus home hosted, residents with home hosted
                   accommodation are being penalised a whopping 81.9% premium in rates. For us
                   personally this means a charge of $5048.55 a year for the privilege of renting one room
                   in our home, while we reside there. This is frankly unbelievable. Where is the
                   justification for this 82% penalty?

                   Where is the issue for the community from residents renting out a room in their own
                   home? There are no noise issues, no additional council resources. Our guests are
                   either a single, two friends or a couple who eat out many times during their stay, book
                   tours and activities and shop at Noosa’s supermarkets and boutiques. We even provide
                   them with bikes to use so they do not contribute to traffic congestion. We do not require
                   additional garbage services and we recycle their waste as we do ours. We have solar
                   hot water and solar electricity to minimise greenhouse gases.

                   We have complained to Noosa Council in the past regarding the excessive tourism levy
                   we pay for our property – a hefty $1372 a year, for renting one room. (We believe that
                   rate should be capped for home hosted at a maximum of $500 per year). But even
                   including the elimination of that levy in the proposed rate change, under the draft
                   changes we will need to find an extra $2394.65 per year, which represents a 31.3%
                   overall increase in rates, not including the new bushfire levy. This while you are telling
                   residents they will only get a 2% increase on average. This also ignores the proposed
                   development application fee, pool and smoke detector inspections and annual fees
                   proposed by Council for home hosted PPR in the recent S/T proposals.

                   This additional cost cannot be absorbed in higher prices. There is a very definite ceiling
                   as to how much guests can and will be prepared to pay for a room in someone else’s
                   home. There is no objective rationale for creating a category for home hosted PPR with
                   different rates than for all other PPR ratepayers. This draft classification change needs
                   to be removed. It is unfair, disproportionate and discriminatory. A huge kick in the guts
                   for residents who are just trying to earn a small additional income from their most
                   valuable asset, without being forced to sell their home and leave the area. Please look
                   at the numbers and be honest about the impact and do not make this change.

                   Submission 7:
                   Thank you for the opportunity to provide our comments on the proposed Noosa Shire
                   Council’s 2021-22 Budget. Our views presented in this letter are consistent with our
                   prior engagement with Council on the policies, regulations and financial settings for
                   short term rental accommodation. For ease of reference, I have attached our
                   submission on the Local Law Amendment (Attachment 1).

                   First and foremost, Stayz is deeply concerned at what appears to be a view formed by
                   Council on a poorly assessed and analysed situation regarding the state of tourism in
                   Noosa. At a time when an industry on which the local economy is so dependent is just
                   getting back on its feet after COVID, Noosa Council has decided to make the operating
                   environment for those that drive the industry even more difficult. Such a move means
                   everyone misses out – the mum and dad property owners who provide accommodation
                   to tourists who in turn support local business, local jobs and a more prosperous
                   economy. Tourist numbers also support an expanded goods and services offering to
                   permanent residents in the area. Without tourists, many businesses would not survive.
                   Stayz appreciates that Council wants to address the issue of funding the best possible
                   amenity for its community and those that visit, however, we see little evidence to
                   support the ratings and tourism levy changes proposed for the 2021-22 Budget. And
                   we are even more concerned that the budget changes appear to have conflated with
                   the other changes in progress related to the Noosa Plan and the Local Law
                   Amendments.

                   In particular we draw attention to what appears to be a serious logic flaw in increasing
                   the rates for providers of short term rentals on the basis that those who stay in this
                   accommodation use council facilities and amenities. The fact is that the many

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