Short-Stay Accommodation Taskforce
On Wednesday 14 June 2023, the Lord Mayor announced the Short-Stay Accommodation Taskforce (the Taskforce). The Taskforce has examined the city’s short-stay rental market to identify a best practice approach for Brisbane and has consequently made recommendations to Brisbane City Council, which have been endorsed by the Lord Mayor. These recommendations are a result of substantial consultation and engagement with both external stakeholders and benchmarking partners and by independent research into the legislative landscape within which short-stay accommodation operates.
The Short-Stay Accommodation Taskforce Report is available to view here:
Key insights from the report and the work of the Taskforce are:
- Brisbane City Council is committed to meeting the growing needs of our communities with agility and adaption to change. This means a strong commitment to better regulating short-stay accommodation to ensure long-term residents are not negatively impacted.
- One recommendation will seek to introduce a new short-stay accommodation local law, requiring operators of hosted and non-hosted short-stay accommodation to obtain a permit to operate.
- The key issue for Brisbane when it comes to SSA is the amenity impacts on long-term residents. A local law is the most effective mechanism to address the amenity issue.
- Council will also ask the Queensland Government to create a state-wide register of short-stay accommodation properties, a state-wide code of conduct and a state-wide data sharing agreement with platform providers, in addition to amendments to planning and body corporate legislation.
- Council recognises short-stay accommodation is a desired alternative for many tourists and it plays a role in encouraging tourism and economic growth.
Have your say
The Taskforce sought submissions regarding existing practices and procedures for short-stay accommodation in Brisbane. The online survey closed 11.59pm on Saturday 30 September 2023.
Following community and industry feedback, Council has considered and collated findings. The findings and outcomes of the submission process can be viewed in the Short-Stay Accommodation Taskforce Report.
If you have any enquiries regarding the lawfulness of existing short-stay accommodation properties, or regarding the assessment or approval of specific development applications, submit your concerns via the email Council online form. Alternatively, contact Council on 07 3403 8888.
Current short-stay accommodation regulation and practices
Brisbane’s City Plan defines ’short-term’ as typically a stay of less than three consecutive months. This includes motels, backpackers, cabins, serviced apartments, hotels, farm stay, temporary private rentals, and other similar forms of accommodation.
In 2022-23, Council introduced new rating categories to encourage more properties to be available on the long-term rental market. This means houses and units rented to paying guests for temporary accommodation purposes will pay higher rates.