Government must take a holistic approach to solving Tasmania’s housing crisis

·
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