The Government of Western Australia’s proposed reforms to regulate short-stay accommodation in the state has been welcomed by The Australian Hotels Association (WA).
AHA(WA) CEO Bradley Woods said a mandatory registration scheme, coupled with a requirement that short-stay accommodation in the Perth metro area obtain development approval after 90 days use, is an initial step in the right direction.
“For too long, unregulated short-stay accommodation has been left unchecked, leading to the loss of long-term housing stock, community disruption and unfair competition with licensed accommodation,” Woods said.
“The many problems associated with unregulated short-stay accommodation were laid bare four years ago in WA’s Parliamentary Inquiry and have been experienced in countless other jurisdictions around the world.
“The 90-day development approval trigger in the Perth metro area is welcomed, and we encourage regional local governments to implement stronger measures, such as a 60-day trigger, to make more accommodation available to house long-term workers in their communities.”
The association is calling for the State Government to bring forward the 2026 start date at which development approvals are required.
“Two years is a long time to wait for reforms to commence,” Woods said.
“The dire shortage of rental accommodation is inhibiting every industry’s ability to secure workers, including hospitality.
“We believe the financial incentives that are being made available will help entice some hosts to return their property to the long-term rental market, which should produce some positive short-term results.”
While Woods believes the reforms are a step in the right direction, he said they are not “the end solution”.