Estimates - Housing and Planning - City of Hobart Short Stay Changes

Ms Burnet - Thank you. Can you tell us how many years the City of Hobart has been trying to progress these changes in relation to short stay, minister?

Mr VINCENT - Sean, if you've got any information on that?

Mr McPHAIL - I'm not sure off the top of my head, but I might have some details here exactly when the City of Hobart first started.

Ms Burnet - You could always ask the former minister. He might know.

Mr JAENSCH - I'm thinking Battery Point.

Mr McPHAIL - It certainly relates back to when the interim planning scheme was in effect, so I don't have the exact dates of when that -

Ms Burnet - Minister, do you recognise that the City of Hobart has been totally frustrated by the issue around reining in short-stay accommodation? And it seems like there have been many attempts to try and rein this in. What is your government doing to ensure that councils have that opportunity to have that jurisdiction over short-stay accommodation in residential areas?

Mr VINCENT - Well, Hobart's had a couple of failed attempts where they probably haven't sought the right advice from the State Planning Office at the time.

Ms Burnet - I don't think you can blame the council completely.

Mr VINCENT - The rules are there already. The laws are there already that they can operate under. So, I do not know the reasons why they haven't chosen to communicate better with the State Planning Office. Certainly, Sean can discuss that.

Ms Burnet - That's pretty rich.

Mr VINCENT - Well, they've also knocked back a lot of high-rise buildings that could have had units in them as well. Councils are under their own jurisdiction a lot to be able to do what they have there. The systems have been there. There's been a lot of communication on this. I've only been in the role a short time, but I do appreciate that this has been going on as an issue for a long time, especially for Hobart, because we're not getting that feedback from other councils anywhere.

Ms Burnet - I find it extraordinary that you are blaming the capital city council for these failings.