Sydney deputy mayor flags enforcement gaps as council weighs short-term rental ban

City of Sydney Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Miller warned that councils cannot effectively enforce short-term rental rules because the STRA register is only available to the state government. She noted that with vacancy rates at 2.1 percent, thousands of listings on platforms like Airbnb are squeezing the long-term rental market. Homelessness NSW has called for a 7.5 percent levy on short-term rental operators to generate funds for housing support.

The council is weighing a ban on short-term rentals in neighbourhoods where vacancy drops below three percent, a proposal backed by Greens councillor Sylvie Ellsmore, who cited the conversion of former public housing into Airbnbs. Premier Chris Minns has pledged to tighten the sector, though the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure could not confirm when its review will be published. Representatives from Airbnb ANZ, Stayz and the Short Term Accommodation Association Australia all stressed the need for balanced regulation and better data sharing.