The Greens (WA) are calling on the Cook Labor Government to immediately implement an urgent moratorium on new unhosted short-stay properties in order to curb their devastating impact on Western Australia’s long-term rental market.
Greens housing spokesperson Tim Clifford MLC this morning moved a motion in the Legislative Council urging the government to impose strict controls addressing the unsustainable growth of unhosted short-stays by instating a freeze on new registrations.
The motion also called for the introduction of a levy on unhosted short-stay properties, which would be funnelled into building social and affordable homes for West Australians.
It comes almost a year after the Greens moved a motion in Parliament calling on the Cook Labor Government to introduce a short-stay levy, criticising the government’s short-stay incentive schemes as having completely failed to address the rental crisis.
But since then and in the face of continued inaction, the government’s own data shows the number of AirBnBs in WA is growing.
There are currently 12,037 AirBnB listings in Western Australia, up from 11,283 in November 2025. The overwhelming majority of these are listed as entire homes or apartments.
Research published by Shelter WA earlier this year revealed that there are almost three unhosted AirBnBs for every long-term property available to rent in WA – a ratio that blows out to a shocking 15 to 1 in regional WA.
More than half are one- and two-bedroom homes, which are in highest demand among low income households, singles and older people – the same cohort of West Australians struggling to find affordable rental homes.
The Greens (WA) housing spokesperson Tim Clifford MLC says that the Cook Labor Government must do more to control unhosted short-stays and their impact on WA’s rental affordability crisis.
“In the middle of the worst housing crisis in living memory, the Cook Labor Government continues to twiddle its thumbs while unhosted short-stays continue to cannibalise tens of thousands of would-be rental homes.
“Almost a full year after I first moved a motion on this issue, WA’s rental affordability crisis has gone from bad to worse on WA Labor’s watch.
“Rents have continued to skyrocket, homelessness is at crisis levels and a whole generation has given up the dream of being able to afford their own home.
“Yet the Cook Labor Government has effectively washed its hands of the short-stay issue, claiming to have done its job with the introduction of a short-stay register and an investor cash incentive – both of which have categorically failed to ease pressure on the almost one-third of West Australians who rent.
“An immediate freeze on new unhosted short-stays would prevent any further hollowing out of WA’s long-term rental market, as well as helping to minimise further rent spikes spurred by low vacancy rates.
“Meanwhile, an investor levy would generate millions in extra revenue that could be used to build more social and affordable homes, further mitigating the relentless impacts of unhosted AirBnBs on our community.
“This isn’t rocket science. These are simple, necessary and proven reforms that should have been introduced a long time ago.
“Instead, the Cook Labor Government is too busy ensuring the pockets of wealthy property investors stay as full as possible.
“Enough is enough. I’d like to remind them where their responsibility actually lies: providing every West Australian with a safe and secure home.”
