Australia implements rental regulations to combat housing crisis

Australia is implementing various regulatory measures to address a rental housing crisis characterized by low stock and record-high rents. Several states have introduced rules targeting short-term rental platforms to preserve housing supply for long-term residents.

In New South Wales, unhosted short-term rentals are limited to 180 days per year in Greater Sydney, with stricter 60-day limits in high-demand areas like Byron Shire. Victoria has introduced a 7.5% levy on short-term stays of less than 28 days to fund social and affordable housing and encourage long-term rentals.

Western Australia requires short-term rentals to be listed on state registers, and local councils have the authority to ban them in specific land-use zones. In the Perth metropolitan area, owners must seek development approval for stays exceeding 90 nights per year, and a A$10,000 incentive is available for those transitioning to the long-term market. Tasmania also requires platforms to share detailed listing data with state registries.