无家可归者权益组织Homelessness NSW呼吁对短期假日租赁征收7.5%的税收，期望通过这项措施筹集约5000万澳元，用于增加无家可归服务资金并鼓励房产回归长期租赁市场[1]。该提议参考了维多利亚州去年推行的模式，该州通过相同税率的短期租赁税政策筹集了8500万澳元用于社会和经济适用房[1]。
新南威尔士州的短期租赁市场规模庞大，登记数据显示全州共有30,599处短期租赁住宅[1]。其中，悉尼地区拥有9,972处，中北海岸3,440处，北部河流2,987处[1]。Homelessness NSW的分析进一步揭示了区域失衡现象：全州短期租赁49,985处相比长期租赁仅22,347处；在北部河流地区（含拜伦湾），短期租赁达5,303处而长期租赁仅393处；中北海岸短期租赁4,676处对比长期租赁584处[1]。
短期租赁行业对此持不同看法，主张许多假日住宅因市场价值高，无法成为平均家庭所能承受的经济适用长期租赁[1]。拜伦郡议会在2024年引入每年60天上限政策以控制短期租赁，但实施一年后效果仍不一致[1]。新南威尔士州规划部长Paul Scully表示，"新南威尔士州有超过80,000套住房正在建设中，超过任何其他州"[1]。
Homelessness NSW is calling for a 7.5% tax on short-term holiday rentals, arguing the measure could generate approximately 50 million Australian dollars to address housing crises in the state[1]. The organization's proposal aims to both increase funding for homelessness services and encourage property owners to return vacant dwellings to the long-term rental market, where affordable housing remains critically scarce[1].
The proposal follows a successful precedent set by Victoria, which introduced an identical 7.5% short-term rental tax last year and raised 85 million Australian dollars for social and affordable housing initiatives[1]. Data from Homelessness NSW reveals the scale of the short-term rental market in New South Wales: the state has 49,985 Airbnb listings compared to just 22,347 long-term rental properties[1]. In regions particularly affected by housing shortages, the disparity is more stark—the North Coast has 5,303 Airbnb properties against 393 long-term rentals, while the Mid North Coast has 4,676 short-term listings versus 584 long-term rentals[1].
The short-term rental industry disputes the premise that holiday homes could address the affordable housing shortage, contending that many such properties command market values too high to ever function as affordable long-term rentals[1]. Byron Shire Council attempted a different approach, implementing a 60-day annual limit on short-term rentals in 2024, though the policy's effectiveness remains mixed after one year[1]. Meanwhile, New South Wales Planning Minister Paul Scully emphasized the government's housing construction efforts, stating that "New South Wales has over 80,000 homes under construction, more than any other state"[1].