Mornington Peninsula Airbnb property owner fined $10,900, guests hit with $1860 penalties

A Mornington Peninsula Airbnb host has been slapped with a massive fine after being busted breaching lockdown.

The owner of a short stay rental has been fined $10,900 during a police blitz on lockdown violators on the Mornington Peninsula.

A further four $1860 penalties were issued to guests caught staying at the property which had been rented via the Airbnb website.

The fines came as police stepped up patrols across the region and Mornington Peninsula Shire urged locals to dob in anyone “misusing” a short stay rental.

Police use licence plate recognition technology and reports from the public to help catch people flouting lockdown restrictions.

Mayor Despi O’Connor said people defying the orders of the chief health officer to visit the region were putting locals at risk of a Covid outbreak.

“We have one of the highest populations of older people in the State and they are especially vulnerable to the coronavirus,” Cr O’Connor said.

“These are tough times and this lockdown has tested the resilience of us all.

“I understand the desire to escape to a new environment – 18 months of intermittent restrictions and lockdowns has been gruelling, and we are all feeling a little worn out.

“But ignoring the rules and travelling beyond your 5km zone is not going to help us get out of lockdown sooner.

“We all need to play our part in getting through this pandemic.”

A police spokesman said the local crackdown was part of statewide efforts to enforce compliance to lockdown restrictions.

Airbnb head of public policy for Australia Derek Nolan said the service was “extremely serious” about supporting government efforts to combat Covid.

“As part of this support, we have reiterated to our community on a number of occasions - including via multiple communication channels to hosts as recently as last week - the critical need to follow government advice and adhere to the rules,” Mr Nolan said.

The Mornington Peninsula has more than 3000 registered short stay properties.

In 2018 the shire established local laws – including registration fees and guest behaviour rules – to regulate short-stay rentals on websites such as Airbnb, Stayz and booking.com.

The move was in response to complaints of anti-social behaviour, loud noise, parking congestion and rubbish.

Since the laws were introduced more than 100 fines have been issued and the shire has successfully prosecuted at least two property owners – resulting in the latter owner putting his house up for sale.