The Sauce: John Barilaro claims it’s unfair for Airbnb to target him
Nationals leader John Barilaro may use Airbnb to rent out his seven-bedroom, $1850-a-night luxury property but that didn’t stop him from sending the company a scathing letter, claiming it was unfair of the multinational to target him over a state government plan to require short-term let properties to meet new standards.
NSW
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Deputy Premier John Barilaro has issued a scathing slapdown to short-term letting giant Airbnb after it attacked the Nationals leader over red tape that would “make life harder” for families.
The row erupted after Airbnb rolled out an aggressive radio and print campaign, targeting
Mr Barilaro and Premier Gladys Berejiklian over a state government plan to require short-term let properties to meet new standards.
The standards, which are on public exhibition, include a requirement to have smoke alarms in bedrooms and connected to power rather than batteries, emergency lighting and restricting the number of people in each bedroom to two.
But Mr Barilaro, who uses Airbnb to rent out his seven-bedroom, $1850-a-night luxury property Dungowan Estate near Braidwood, said it was unfair of the multinational to target him as he was unable to influence government policy due to his conflict of interest.
In a scathing letter, he accused the company of exploiting the drought to boost profits.
“As a holder of public office, I take no issue with being the target of public campaigns,” he wrote.
“But what I do object to is a multinational conglomerate, headquartered in San Francisco no less, exploiting the current situation in regional NSW to further its profit margins.”
The Airbnb advertising campaign warns that holidaying would become “more expensive”.
“With the cost of living going up, Airbnb gives working families more choice and more affordable options of where to stay,” its print ads state.
“But new red tape is threatening to make holidays even more expensive.
“Premier Berejiklian and Deputy Premier Barilaro, don’t make life harder for working families.”
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Mr Barilaro said if Airbnb held “genuine” concerns about the welfare of regional communities, the company should follow the lead of Qantas, which had offered discounted fares to encourage Sydneysiders to visit regional towns impacted by the drought.
Airbnb’s Derek Nolan said many families relied on home sharing as an “economic lifeline” to earn extra income.
“Hosts have told us that the proposed red tape — including anti-family person limits, hotel-style regulation for homes and a costly and onerous registration system — would devastate them,” he said.
COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
Labor leader Jodi McKay broke down in tears while speaking about the drought at a symposium in the bush recently.
In Armidale, which is on Level 5 restrictions, women were cutting their hair to save having to use water to wash it, while others were only bathing once week, she said.
“And we sit in this room and talk about a crane over a building,” she said.
Ms McKay went on to reveal a conversation she had had with the new vice-chancellor of the University of New England, Professor Brigid Heywood, who told the Strathfield MP how her first job was to develop a plan to “close the university by June” because there was not enough water”.
The Sauce decided to investigate, firing off a few questions to the university on its apparent closure plans.
Not exactly the case, according to a statement emailed back by Professor Heywood. While the university’s academic and residential campuses were planning to deal with the “inevitability of further restrictions”, there were no plans to shut down its operations.
“There have been rumours that UNE may need to close down some or all of its operations in response to the water crisis,” she said.
“There are no plans to do so.”
We have a feeling there’s more to the story.
BIG BUSH BUS TRIP
NSW ministers are set for an Outback bus trip to remember. Next weekend, the entire Cabinet will travel to Bourke for a semi-regular rural “Community Cabinet” trip.
But rather than ministers make their own way, the Deputy Premier and leader of the Nationals John Barilaro is forcing them and their chiefs of staff on to two buses from Dubbo to the state’s far west.
Word is he wants city-slicker Liberals to appreciate how dry and barren the country is during the five-hour journey. The itinerary includes stops at the Nevertire Hotel and Nyngan.
The Sauce pictures an adventure worthy of the Griswolds. However, Barilaro and Premier Berejiklian won’t be joining in on the bus shenanigans. Instead, they will travel by car so they can attend prearranged meetings with town mayors.
COLD COMFORT
Visiting disaster zones can be tough for politicians. Bring in the cameras and you are accused of exploiting the victims; stay away and you can be viewed as heartless.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese found out the hard way last week when he was heckled by angry residents during a visit to fire-affected parts of NSW.
But The Sauce hears Albo managed to get back in the good books of locals after meeting with the Nimbin branch of the Country Women’s Association.
Theresa Howes, known as “Queen of the Kitchen”, told the Labor leader the CWA needed some new fridges to help feed firefighters and victims of the inferno.
A quick call from Albo to the boss of Woolworths and two upright freezers and fridges, almost 500 bottles of water and two $500 Woolies vouchers showed up in Nimbin.
They were apparently more welcome than he was.
READY TO MINGLE
She may have been dumped by the Labor Party but former federal MP Emma Husar isn’t letting it get her down.
The Sauce noticed the former member for Lindsay returned to Twitter this week after a short hiatus declaring she is single and ready to mingle.
“Help Twitter. Best dating tips. It’s been a long time, despite the headlines. I am new here and unaccustomed and also terrified,” she asked her 9000 Twitter followers.
Those headlines she is referring to were published by Buzzfeed, who she sued over a 2018 story which detailed unfounded allegations by staff of harassment and misconduct, including lewd sexual behaviour.
Husar ultimately settled a defamation case and has rejoined the dating world, which The Sauce can’t help but think must be easier than the complexities of Canberra.
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Originally published as The Sauce: John Barilaro claims it’s unfair for Airbnb to target him