All Australians and particularly Queensland property owners are being rorted by some greedy, avaricious Queensland Councils. These Councils are in effect issuing punitive fines, by huge Rate-hikes, to private home owners and hosts, who choose to offer their homes for short term accommodation (PHoSTRA), on sites like 'Airbnb'. 

A typical example (and by far not the worst): A PHoSTRA house with a Land Value of $2.53m in Randwick City Council in NSW pays $2,413 a year in Council Rates. The same house, doing the same thing, in Queensland's Sunshine Coast Council, gets an annual rates bill of $21,758. Over nine times more (0.095358 cents in the dollar RCC 23/24 rate, versus SCC 23/24 rate of 0.86 cents in the dollar of Rateable Vale)

So for identical valued homes, doing identical things, the Randwick host pays $2,413 in annual rates and the Sunshine Coast host pays $21,758. Over nine times more, for no additional services or support. And this does not take into account various rip-off fees and application costs.  And Sunshine Coast Council is not the worst.

Its not just hosts who are being penalised by this discriminatory practise, these excess rates charges are not subject to income tax, so the ATO is being rorted too, of probably billions of dollars over a few years. And that makes this an issue for all Australians.

Councils say they are trying to force property owners to use their property as the Council wants, not as the owners do. I.e. to offer long term residential accommodation. But this is mendacious. PHoSTRA is part of the Tourist Sector of the economy, not the Housing Sector. There is little or no overlap. In reality, the Councils are just gouging the new sharing economy and in-so-doing, stifling it. An economy that generates significant income to local economies and employs a significant number of local people.The epitome of private enterprise. Hosts work hard in a competitive environment, developing this unique and special tourist accommodation. Australians love PHoSTRA and they love Queensland. The genie is not going back into the bottle. Local Councils should be supporting and encouraging them. Not gouging them. Our property - Our Choice!

Currently these greedy Councils have paid staff scanning sites like 'Airbnb' and rely on informers to alert them to PHoSTRA, so they can generate extra revenue. Practices similar to the very worst of totalitarian regimes. This needs to stop now. And a fair and equitable system brought in to benefit all Australians.

PHoSTRA facilitates local tourism, employs local people and pays income tax. The alternative is empty second homes for the super rich only.

Our property - Our Choice!