17 September 2025
The multi-party parliamentary committee inquiring into the short stay accommodation sector (including Air BnB) has backed a registration scheme for the industry, as part of a suite of recommendations tabled in state parliament yesterday afternoon.
The committee initiated and chaired by Greens MLC Robert Simms was established in February. The committee report’s recommendations include:
- That the state government establishes a registration scheme for the short stay accommodation sector, potentially comprising:
- mandatory data reporting and the establishment of a South Australian short stay accommodation register (with information shared by both online booking platforms and individual short stay accommodation owners);
- a code of conduct for short stay accommodation property owners and guests;
- minimum safety standards (including smoke alarm compliance);
- planning law compliance and impact on community amenity;
- disclosure of disability access compliance; and
- an annual or quarterly registration fee or levy to be charged to short stay accommodation owners.
- That a registration fee be charged as part of any registration scheme (with the quantum to be determined by government)
- that state government considers offering incentives to short stay accommodation owners and those who own long term vacant property to encourage their property back into the long-term rental marketplace
The full report is available here: https://committees.parliament.sa.gov.au/committee/440/Short%20Stay%20Accommodation%20Sector%20/55/55th%20Parliament%2003%2F05%2F2022%20-%20Current/55 (see pages 7-9 for a summary of findings and recommendations).
Quotes attributable to Robert Simms MLC:
“The committee received more than 100 submissions from a diverse range of stakeholders and heard evidence from more than 40 witnesses over the last six months.”
“The committee formed a majority view that the short stay sector is playing a role in the rental affordability crisis, but we need more data to determine the extent to which that is the case. It is hoped that a registration scheme would assist government in gathering data and making policy decisions.”
“The case for regulation of the short stay sector was overwhelming. Indeed, there was an almost universal view from stakeholders that we need a registration scheme here in South Australia. NSW, WA, Victoria, Queensland all have some form of regulation, yet South Australia has continued to lag behind.”
“A registration scheme could deliver significant benefits: it could provide data to state and local governments that could inform future planning and Council rating decisions, it could generate revenue to be reinvested into communities that are impacted by short stay accommodation.”
“The committee identified a series of factors that should be considered by Government as part of any regulation of the sector. I hope that the Government moves quickly to action this report and commits to implementing our recommendations.”