regulation
A new report highlights the Government’s failure to address Tasmania’s housing crisis through its irresponsible hands-off approach to the introduction of short-stay accommodation in Tasmania.
Shadow
Minister for Housing, Alison Standen, said the report by the University of
Tasmania’s Institute for the Study of Social Change supported Labor’s views
that the Government had been slow to act.
“The
report details the acute shortage in affordable housing with around six per
cent of rental stock being converted to short-stay accommodation since 2016,”
Ms Standen said.
“This
highlights the Government’s hands off approach to regulating short-stay
accommodation. It should have acted sooner by introducing a pause on the
issuing of new permits to ease the pressure in the greater Hobart market in
particular.
“The
report highlights the challenges in meeting affordable housing supply targets
given the Government has failed to meet its own targets, or invest in measures
to boost the building and construction industry to meet demand.
“The
report warns it will take years for industry supply to meet demand and recommends
the need for urgent, strong targeted policy responses to regulate and cap
short-term accommodation in the near future.
“I
urge the Government to listen to expert advice and implement these reforms as
soon as possible to help address Tasmania’s housing crisis.
“The report is the latest in a series of expert views supporting the establishment of a Parliamentary Committee of inquiry into the housing and homelessness crisis.”
Alison Standen MP
Shadow Minister for Housing
