

IT’S A WRAP - NSW STATE ELECTIONS
Perhaps the ‘pin-up boy’ of last weekend’s State Elections is Oatley MP Mark Coure. Pre-election, Coure’s electorate was saturated with posters while the Hon Member spent much of his time occupying local street corners, his time and appearances of course paid for by NSW electors. Coure also welcomed the Premier and other Ministers into the local area during their orchestrated, almost-secret visits. Formerly a traditional Labor electorate, Oatley gifted a further swing of 4.1


SHORT-TERM RENTALS: WHO’S THE BULLY?
We are concerned about homes and an individual’s fundamental right to safe, secure housing, plus the rights of those who have complied with legislation and run accredited Small Businesses. Compare this to the unavoidable fact that nowadays the vast majority of those running commercial hotel/serviced apartment operations in residential dwellings are doing so without any regard to building certification requirements including disability access, without contributing by way of c


NSW LEGISLATION: WHO GIVES A TOSS? NOT FAIR TRADING
In NSW there is specific legislation dealing with unlicensed trading by a corporation and individuals. This falls under Fair Trading and covers real estate agents, stock and station agents, business agents, strata/community managing agents and on-site residential property managers. The Property, Stock and Business Agents Act 2002 sets out the Rules of Conduct and Discipline. Monetary penalties (should) apply for non-compliance with this Act. One noted anomaly: “One does


WE’RE JUST ASKING…
Let’s say a gaggle of blokes including the Deputy Premier, other State MPs and a top Lawyer and Mosman’s Deputy Mayor all double parked their cars outside their offices, would they be fined? Yet when they’re involved in Airbnb-type rentals earning big, big dollars, there are no fines issued – right? When the City of Sydney Council is provided with details of someone who is operating 30 Airbnb’s, they instead send three inspectors to scrutinise the operations of a licensed, r


THOUSANDS OF NSW LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS & STUDENTS FACE EVICTION UNDER CITY OF SYDNEY RECOMMENDATI
Recommendations made by the City of Sydney Council in their Response to the NSW Parliament’s ‘Options Paper’ would appear to be full of regulatory loopholes and, if adopted, could see thousands of low-income residents and students face eviction across our State. The City of Sydney however, writes that their proposal “enables short-term letting to deliver positive social and economic benefits with minimal regulatory costs”. It is stated that metropolitan and regional areas sho


STRs: Trust Is What Makes Them 'Work'
The Spin Team at Airbnb needs us to ignore the fact that the absolute necessity, in order for their operations and profits in the billions to grow, is to have deregulated our Housing/Building Codes/Tenants’ Rights/Disability/Fire & Rescue/Taxation and of course, Health & Safety Legislation. Given Airbnb and Expedia’s penetration into homes – 58,250 at last count with 100s of other operators in the game – there can be no checks; and that’s official and legislated at both State