HELEN BURNET MOTION PASSED - Parliament calls on Government to review short-stay accommodation laws
MEDIA RELEASE 10 SEPTEMBER 2026
HELEN BURNET MOTION PASSED - Parliament calls on Government to review short-stay accommodation laws
The Tasmanian Parliament last night called on the Government to urgently review the Short Stay Accommodation Act and the impact of short-stay accommodation on Tasmania’s housing market.
The motion, moved by Independent Member for Clark Helen Burnet MP, requires the Government to undertake the review, invite public submissions and table a final report with recommendations for reform within six months.
“This is a clear message from Parliament that the Government needs to get serious about the impact of short-stay accommodation on housing availability and affordability,” Ms Burnet said.
“The Government introduced the Short Stay Accommodation Act in 2019 with a promise that it would give Tasmania a clear picture of the impact of short-stay accommodation on our housing market.
“It has failed to deliver that.
“Since the Act was introduced, the number of whole homes being used for short-stay accommodation has increased dramatically, while Tasmania’s long-term rental vacancy rate remains well below one per cent.
“Councils across Tasmania are reporting housing and amenity impacts, but they still do not have the property-level data they need to properly understand or manage the problem.”
The motion notes that whole-home short-stay accommodation properties requiring a permit have increased from 1,950 in June 2019 to 3,671 in June 2026.
Ms Burnet said the Government had been warned about the need to monitor the impact of short-stay accommodation for years.
“The Tasmanian Planning Commission warned in 2018 that the impact of the Government’s planning changes on housing affordability and availability needed to be monitored and reviewed.
“The Government subsequently introduced the Short Stay Accommodation Act, saying it would improve understanding of the impact of short-stay accommodation on the broader housing market.
“Seven years later, we still do not have the information councils need to understand what is happening in their communities.
Ms Burnet said today’s vote was timely following the Legislative Council’s defeat of the Government’s proposed short-stay accommodation levy.
“There is now a clear message to the Government: a levy is not a substitute for a coherent regulatory framework, reliable data or a proper assessment of the impact of short-stay accommodation on housing.
Ms Burnet said the Parliament’s motion provides the Government with a clear pathway forward.
“We need to understand how many homes have moved from the long-term rental market into short-stay accommodation, where that is happening, what impact it is having on rents and vacancy rates, and what powers councils need to respond.
“This is not about demonising tourism or people who occasionally share their homes.
“It is about recognising that when we have a rental vacancy rate below one per cent, every home removed from the long-term rental market matters.
“Tasmanians are struggling to find somewhere to live. Councils are telling us they are seeing the impacts. Community organisations have been calling for action.
“Parliament has now called for the Government to properly investigate the problem and come back with solutions.