Mark McGowan Indicates New Restrictions For Airbnbs Amid Rental Crisis

Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan has indicated new restrictions are set to be introduced for Airbnb owners.

Following new data released by the Real Estate Institute of WA which reveals that WA’s rental vacancy rate is currently sitting at 0.7 percent, Premier McGowan has said new regulations surrounding Airbnbs are likely to be introduced. 

The shockingly low rate is believed to be due properties being rented for short stay accommodation such as Airbnb and Stayz.

Mr McGowan was asked in an interview with The West whether he would consider placing a ban on Airbnb services.

“That’s a big call,” he said.

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“Obviously a lot of people have made business decisions in regards to Airbnb. And a lot of tourists that come to Western Australia use Airbnb to stay, so it’s a bit of a vexed question.”

The McGowan government is already looking at establishing new regulation for short stay accommodations, potentially placing a limit on the number of nights short stay accommodation can be rented annually.

Mr McGowan said they are attempting to build more homes in an attempt to ease the pressure from the current rental crisis.

“It is a difficult issue to just say a certain type of investment is banned but we’re trying to build as many houses as we can as quickly as we can,” he said.

“There’s currently 30,000 houses being built in the private market. They just come on stream slowly, because so many are being built, that’s just the reality of what we’re dealing with.”

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