‘We are going to need significant help’: Grampians community urges govt to scrap Airbnb tax during bushfire recovery

The Allan government is being called on to waive its controversial Airbnb tax in the Grampians region to help communities rebuild their economies after missing crucial tourism weeks throughout summer.

The Allan government is being called on to waive its controversial new Airbnb tax in regions impacted by bushfires and floods to help communities rebuild their economies, as the Grampians reopens to tourists after the massive blaze threatening the area was contained.

Community members and the local National MP Emma Kealy have told the Herald Sun that more support from the state is needed to help stimulate the local tourism economy after a three-week closure due to a massive bushfire.

Among a suit of measures that the community say will help is the proposal to waive the Victorian government’s controversial new short-stay tax, which kicked off on New Year’s Day, for at least 12 months to help entice more visitors to the area.

The Grampians community is calling on the state government to waive its Airbnb tax to help rebuild its economy. Picture: Lionel Bonaventure

The new tax is a 7.5 per cent levy on the cost of accommodation, including cleaning and service charges, which could apply to up to 50,000 Victorian properties including short stay accommodation in and around the Grampians.

The tax will add a $26 charge for a property costing $350 a night or $182 for the week.

“The last thing Grampians accommodation businesses need is another Labor tax to pay when they’re already facing financial ruin,” Ms Kealy told the Herald Sun.

“Labor must waive the short-stay tax for the four councils in the Grampians region to give these accommodation providers a little relief, because if they don’t get some government support soon, it will be too late.”

The bushfire tore through 76,000ha before it was contained. Picture: CFA/Ross Walker

Pomonal Estate owner Pepita Atchison backed the call, saying, “improving the local economy is about getting more people back here, and anything the government can do to help businesses will help.”

“There is talk of some businesses closing,” she said.

“And, what we find so far is that everything (disaster relief) is for sole traders and employees, and there’s not much in it for the businesses. So anything the government can do would really help.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan tour the fire area of the Grampians. Picture: PMO

Marc Sleeman, CEO at Grampians Wimmera Mallee Tourism, said the locals were “looking forward to working with the state government on any initiatives,” to help the region which was also hit by fires in February 2024.

“We know from our research that every day closed costs the region $1.9 million,” he said.

“In February last year, after the last fires hit, which was comparatively smaller than this fire, we lost 20 per cent of our visitors.

“That’s 460,000 people for that February-March period, so we are going to need significant help.”

The Grampians tourism body called for ‘significant help’ from the government following the bushfire. Picture: Supplied

He said while tinkering with tax levers was better than nothing, he also called for a special government package to boost tourism marketing for the area to reach out to Melburnians and encourage tourism.

Halls Gap, the main town within the region, officially reopened on Wednesday, and access to the Grampians National Park is set to be opened on Friday, a move many locals hope will bring back the crowds.

Firefighters contained the massive Grampians bushfire earlier this week after a cool change came through, following 21 days of battling the blaze by emergency services. It has scorched more than 76,000 hectares — an area larger than Singapore or Tonga — but key tourist areas have been spared.

A Victorian Government spokesperson said there were other support services available to those impacted by the fires.

“These bushfires have been devastating for the Grampians and we’ll continue to support the communities who have been impacted – whether that’s local residents, tourism operators or other businesses.

“There are both Commonwealth and Victorian Government funded financial support services available to communities affected by bushfires, including up to 13 weeks of income support for workers and sole traders who have experienced loss of income.”