Dan Andrews gives strongest hint yet Airbnb owners will cop short stay tax under housing reforms

It’s looking more likely Airbnb owners will soon feel more pain to the hip pocket, with Daniel Andrews refusing to rule out a short stay tax during his return to breakfast radio.

Premier Daniel Andrews has given his strongest hint yet Victoria is set to be hit with an Airbnb tax under a long-awaited housing reform package.

A package of reforms to address the state’s housing shortage – expected to be unveiled as early as tomorrow – are also expected to see councils stripped of planning decisions in priority projects.

Cabinet will meet on Monday afternoon to sign off on the government’s statement.

Breaking his ban on breakfast radio on Monday, the Premier appeared as the first guest of new ABC Melbourne morning host, Raf Epstein.

Mr Andrews said Victoria needed between 1.6m and 2m homes by the middle of the century to accommodate a growing population.

Victoria needs between 1.6 million and 2 million homes by the middle of the century to accommodate a growing population. Picture: supplied

And he refused to rule out an Airbnb tax as part of government plans.

“What I am gonna say to you though is, there’s between 30,000 and 40,000 homes that are being Airbnb or other platforms, so they’re short stay, which means they’re not available for someone to lease, to rent, on a longer term basis. That is a real thing.

“It’s not to be critical of short stay, people obviously use those different platforms and it suits them, but at the same time, there’s no denying that that means there are a significant number of properties that would have, 10 years ago, 15 years ago, have been available for longer term rental...they’re not available because they claim.”

The Herald Sun revealed last week the suite of reforms is also likely to include a major boost to the government’s Development Facilitation Program which fastbacks planning decisions for priority projects.

Under the proposal, developers would be required to include a portion of affordable housing into developments to qualify for the development facilitation programme.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Treasurer Tim Pallas presser at Parliament Back Gardens, Victoria. Picture: Tony Gough

Other reforms expected to be canvassed with industry bodies over the weekend, ahead of the expected release of the government’s anticipated housing statement next week, include a consolidation of infrastructure contributions and significant planning code changes.

Mr Andrews said it made sense to offer a trade off with developers for quick approvals in exchange for affordable housing.

In a wide-ranging interview Mr Andrews also dismissed concerns about a lack of police resourcing, and rejected criticisms by former IBAC chief Robert Redlich and Ombudsman Deborah Glass.

With the greatest of respect to the heads of integrity agencies, they’re not elected by anybody, so they’re not in the Cabinet Room, and for as long as I chair the cabinet, they won’t be in the Cabinet Room.

“You want to get into the Cabinet Room, well you will need to go and get yourself elected, and you’ll need to campaign and put a positive plan forward, and then you’ll need to be elected in sufficient numbers, and then you can go down to Government House and be sworn in.”

Originally published as Dan Andrews gives strongest hint yet Airbnb owners will cop short stay tax under housing reforms