· Short stay accommodation just one factor in housing crisis
· Government must take holistic approach to solving the issue
The Hodgman Liberal Government must take a holistic approach to solving Tasmania's housing crisis and not just hedge its bets on new legislation for short stay accommodation.
Shadow Minister for Local Government and Planning, Anita Dow, said the short stay accommodation Bill passed in Parliament last night, was just one piece of a complex puzzle putting pressure on Tasmania's essential services including affordable housing.
"Labor supports the Government's intent to ensure greater compliance from platforms and providers through the public listing of permit details and sharing of data with local and state governments," Ms Dow said.
"We also support the introduction of fines for non-compliance.
"We need to be very clear that short stay accommodation is just one factor putting pressure on essential services including housing in Tasmania. That's why we have initiated an inquiry into housing affordability and homelessness in Tasmania.
"It is disgraceful that on any given night, 1,600 Tasmanians are homeless and many other families are couch surfing, relying on their friends and families or living in sheds, cars or tents.
"We need real action to help these people and solve the housing crisis.
"There is a need for a whole of Government approach to population growth, settlement planning, cost of living pressures, incomes and the impact of tourism and short stay accommodation.
"We look forward to the data collected through this Bill being reported to the Parliament and data being made available to stakeholders to importantly inform public policy and program development.
"This bill offers a mechanism for reporting and displaying data. It doesn't ensure compliance and it should not overshadow the importance of long term monitoring on the effect of the short stay accommodation sector on housing and investment in accommodation right across regional Tasmania not just Hobart."
Anita Dow MP
Shadow Minister for Local Government and Planning
