Levelling the Playing Field - Report No. 7 - Managing the impact of the rapid increase of Short-Term Rentals in Western Australia

Sep 16, 2026

Economics and Industry Standing Committee Report 7 examines the rapid growth of short-term rentals in Western Australia and its effects on the short-stay accommodation sector. The inquiry distinguishes traditional accommodation from short-term rentals and reviews evidence on exponential listing growth, including unhosted properties. Submissions are analysed across four stakeholder groups—traditional providers, rental owners and platforms, neighbours, and holiday makers—highlighting competing views on market impacts, compliance burdens, consumer protections, local economic activity, and community responses.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages178

Reading Time1 h 2 min

AccessFree to download

Chair’s Foreword

Scope of the Inquiry

Definitions: Traditional Accommodation vs Short-Term Rentals

Growth and Market Context

Stakeholder Perspectives

Issues Raised by Traditional Accommodation Providers

Issues Raised by Short-Term Rental Owners and Platforms

40TH PARLIAMENT Economics and Industry Standing Committee Report 7 LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD Managing the impact of the rapid increase of Short-Term Rentals in Western Australia Presented by Ms J.J. Shaw, MLA September 2019 Committee Members | Chair | Ms J.J. Shaw, MLA | | --- | --- | | Deputy Chair | Member for Swan Hills
Mr S.K. L’Estrange, MLA
Member for Churchlands | | Members
Committee Staff | Mr Y. Mubarakai, MLA Member for Jandakot
Mr S.J. Price, MLA
Member for Forrestfield
Hon D.T. Redman, MLA
Member for Warren-Blackwood | Principal Research Officers Ms Suzanne Veletta, LLB (from 19 August 2019) Dr David Worth, PhD, MBA (until 23 August 2019) Research Officers Ms Franchesca Walker, BA (Hons), Dip (MPD) (from 25 March 2019) Mr Lachlan Gregory, BA (until 22 March 2019) Legislative Assembly Tel: (08) 9222 7494 Parliament House 4 Harvest Terrace Email: [laeisc@parliament.wa.gov.au](laeisc@parliament.wa.gov.au) WEST PERTH WA 6005 [Website: www.parliament.wa.gov.au/eisc](Website: www.parliament.wa.gov.au/eisc) ISBN: 978-1-925724-47-9 (Series: Western Australia. Parliament. Legislative Assembly. Committees. Economics and Industry Standing Committee. Report 7) 328.365 Published by the Parliament of Western Australia, Perth. September 2019 Economics and Industry Standing Committee Levelling the Playing Field Managing the impact of the rapid increase of Short-Term Rentals in Western Australia Report No. 7 Presented by Ms J.J. Shaw, MLA Laid on the Table of the Legislative Assembly on 26 September 2019 Chair’s Foreword When the Committee initiated this Inquiry into Short-Stay Accommodation, we anticipated a straight-forward exercise that would take a comparatively short period of time to complete. There had been a groundswell of public agitation from the South West of the State, voicing concerns about the emergence of online accommodation platforms and, so it seemed, a high level of consensus about the nature of the ‘problem’. However, more than any other Inquiry we have yet tackled, this issue has proven remarkably complex and polarising. It has drawn a record number of submissions from around Western Australia and exposed an issue that is having a broad range of impacts, triggering a wide array of policy and community responses. The lengthy time this Inquiry has taken to complete, and the difficulty the Committee has experienced in developing a set of practical recommendations, perhaps reflects the complexity of this topic and the wide range of perspectives within and between communities. In this Inquiry, we have differentiated between two main types of Short-Stay Accommodation: Traditional Accommodation and Short-Term Rentals. ‘Traditional Accommodation’ properties have long existed and have usually been specifically developed to provide Short-Stay Accommodation for the recreation and business travel markets. They have been appropriately licensed and registered and include hotels, motelsand licensed bed and breakfasts. ‘Short-Term Rentals’ are properties, or rooms within properties, that have not been developed for Traditional Accommodation purposes. Short-Term Rentals have usually been built for residential purposes and are often located in areas zoned for residential use, but have subsequently been offered for short-term letting for the purposes of recreational, business or other travel. They are not always licensed and/or registered. Evidence provided to the Committee demonstrates that the Short-Stay Accommodation sector is undergoing rapid change. Western Australia’s first Short-Term Rental was listed in Como in August 2008. Two years later, 30 properties were listed online. Since that time, growth has been exponential. The twelve months to December 2018 saw a 24% increase in listings, with over 12,000 listings now available in Western Australia. The vast majority of these properties are ‘unhosted’, with guests having exclu

FAQs

What does the inquiry focus on in Report 7?

It focuses on managing the impact of the rapid increase of short-term rentals in Western Australia and the resulting effects on the short-stay accommodation sector.

How does the report distinguish between traditional accommodation and short-term rentals?

Traditional accommodation is developed and licensed/registered for short-stay use (e.g., hotels, motels, licensed bed and breakfasts), while short-term rentals are not developed for that purpose and are often offered for short-term letting without consistent licensing/registration.

Which stakeholder groups provided consistent issues during the inquiry?

Traditional accommodation providers, short-term rental owners, neighbours, and holiday makers each raised recurring concerns or perspectives presented to the committee.

Sep 16, 2026

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