The Hodgman Liberal Government will introduce legislation and launch a public awareness campaign to address compliance concerns relating to short-stay accommodation.
Tasmanians have embraced the sharing economy and we are committed to ensuring it continues to play a positive role in our visitor economy and community.
However, it is clear that there is an issue when it comes to compliance that is cause of significant concern for the community sector and the tourism and hospitality industries.
To address this, we will introduce legislation by the end of this year to ensure compliance with our existing regulations.
The legislation will serve two important purposes; to ensure everyone is playing by the rules, and, to paint a clear picture of home sharing across Tasmania.
This approach will ensure we have meaningful data to fully understand the short-stay accommodation sector in Tasmania.
The intent of the legislation is to require anyone listing an investment property on an online platform to show details of their required permit.
People sharing their primary residence online will not be affected by the legislation.
Property owners and online platform providers found to be in breach of the rules could face penalties, which may include significant fines.
It’s important that those who benefit from the sharing economy make sure they are doing the right thing.
Everyone will have an opportunity to have their say as part of the consultation process as legislation is drafted.
To support this, we will also launch a public awareness campaign in coming weeks detailing the responsibilities of homeowners when it comes to listing a property for short-stay accommodation.
These steps will ensure the checks and balances are in place when it comes to short stay accommodation so that Tasmanians and visitors alike can continue to share in its benefits.