STAAA Responds to ARAMA Claims on Housing Crisis: "Policy Must Be Driven by Evidence, Not Rhetoric"

The Short Term Accommodation Association Australia (STAAA) has responded to recent commentary from ARAMA, raising concerns about unsupported claims, contradictory positions and increasingly divisive rhetoric that risks undermining constructive industry collaboration.

Industry Collaboration Undermined by Inconsistent Messaging

STAAA Executive Director Keiran Craig-Jones expressed disappointment at the tone and direction of ARAMA's position, noting the historically collaborative relationship between the two organisations.

"I know Trevor Rawnsley personally and have regularly attended ARAMA events over the years. In fact, Trevor attended and presented at our STRA Summit 2026 in Adelaide just last month, where one of his own opening slide stated 'ARAMA and STAAA Stronger Together'," said Craig-Jones.

"To now see such a sharp shift in narrative is both surprising and disappointing. Trevor needs to take the tin hat off and move beyond NIMBY style thinking. He saw firsthand at our STRA Summit the depth of data and evidence supporting short-term rental accommodation presented by Garrett Tyler-Parker, Director of Analysis and Insights Tourism Research Australia, Austrade, particularly in regional and rural Australia, where there is often little to no alternative accommodation stock."

Claims Lack Evidence and Misrepresent the Housing Crisis

STAAA reiterates that Australia's housing crisis is a complex supply issue, not one that can be attributed to a single industry.

A housing crisis is defined as a sustained imbalance between supply and demand, resulting in reduced affordability, limited availability and increased housing insecurity. Simplistic claims targeting short-term rental accommodation ignore broader structural drivers including planning constraints, construction costs and population growth.

ARAMA's article includes several strong claims that are not substantiated by evidence, including assertions about short-term rentals being "empty most of the time" and significantly contributing to housing shortages, without presenting credible supporting data.

Tourism Demand Data Ignored

At the STRA Summit 2026, Tourism Research Australia (TRA) presented clear data on accommodation preferences.

"Garrett Tyler-Parker from Tourism Research Australia, Austrade presented compelling data at our STRA Summit showing that short-term rental accommodation is the preferred choice for international travellers," said Craig-Jones.

"Ignoring this demand doesn't make it disappear, it simply shifts economic activity elsewhere."

International Platforms and Tax Imbalance

STAAA also raised concerns about the role of international booking platforms in shaping the policy debate.

"We do not support a system where global booking platforms extract significant value from the Australian market while contributing comparatively little in local taxation, yet simultaneously lobby for additional taxes on Australian STRA owners," said Craig-Jones.

"That is fundamentally unfair and places an increasing burden on local operators, many of whom are small business owners and mum and dads."

Real World Impacts: Voices from the Industry

Industry participants continue to highlight practical concerns around alternative accommodation models and regulatory imbalance.

Kristy Morris, Five Star Properties:

"Over more than 10 years working with management rights operators across multiple buildings on the Gold Coast and in Melbourne inner city area, my experience has unfortunately been consistently disappointing.

As both an owner and property manager, I've personally been incorrectly charged for maintenance items that never existed in my apartment, which raises serious concerns around transparency and accountability.

My biggest concern is that these management rights are often sold to individuals with little to no relevant experience or qualifications, particularly when it comes to property maintenance and operations. This lack of expertise directly impacts the quality of service, decision making and overall outcomes for owners, tenants and guests.

Across a number of buildings, I've also observed that the conduct and approach of some onsite managers creates a toxic and negative environment. It's not uncommon to encounter rudeness and a lack of professionalism, even as an owner, which ultimately undermines the reputation of the property and the broader industry.

I also do not believe it is fair that property owners in Queensland can be locked into long-term agreements of up to 25 years with management letting rights operators. Greater balance, accountability and minimum standards are needed to ensure a more professional and equitable environment for all stakeholders."

Owen, STRA Owner Operator, Melbourne:

"We operate a short term rental accommodation property focused on longer stays, typically 28 to 90 days. Our guests are not tourists, they're people relocating, families displaced by renovations or insurance events and those needing time to secure longer term housing.

We operate at around 80% occupancy, which clearly reflects real demand for this type of accommodation.

This is also my brother's home. He lives in London and is recovering from a life threatening illness. The STRA setup allows us to support him financially while ensuring he has a home to return to.

There is also a broader economic contribution, cleaners, trades and local services all benefit.

From my perspective, ARAMA's position is not a balanced housing solution, it is a market shaping proposal that favours one operating model over another. A blanket ban on STRA in detached housing ignores how these properties are actually used and incorrectly assumes they will convert into long-term rentals.
In many cases, including ours, that would not happen.

It risks removing flexible housing options that are already supporting people in transition, while doing little to meaningfully increase long-term housing supply.
Policy in this area needs to be evidence-based and region-specific, not driven by broad assumptions or aligned commercial interests."

Maxine Petty, Owner, Experience Augusta (WA):

"In regional communities like Augusta, short-term rental accommodation isn't displacing housing, it's enabling it.

We simply don't have enough traditional accommodation like hotels or motels to support visitor demand and STRA fills that gap. Without it, many visitors wouldn't come at all, which would have a direct impact on local businesses, jobs and the broader economy.

In smaller towns, STRA often coexists with housing needs rather than competing with them. A one size fits all policy approach risks harming regional communities that rely on tourism while doing little to address housing supply challenges in major cities."

"Not an Apartment Crisis" - A Misleading Narrative

STAAA also rejected the framing that Australia is "not in an apartment crisis," describing it as reductive and counterproductive.

"All housing types, houses, apartments, social housing, are part of the same ecosystem. Suggesting otherwise is not only inaccurate, it's petty and distracts from real solutions," said Craig-Jones.

"Banning short-term rental accommodation in Class 1 properties, won't fix the housing crisis, it risks removing a layer of flexible and alternative accommodation particularly in regional and rural areas across Australia which have limited or no other accommodation options, whilst favouring one commercial model in central business areas or tourist areas over others," Craig-Jones said.

STAAA is calling for balanced, evidence based policy that recognises the role of all accommodation types and supports sustainable housing supply across Australia.

Contact us:

Short Term Accommodation Association Australia (STAAA)
Email: contact@staaa.org.au
Website: https://staaa.org.au

About the Short Term Accommodation Association Australia (STAAA):

The Short Term Accommodation Association Australia (STAAA) is the national peak body representing Australia's short-term rental accommodation (STRA) industry.

Dedicated to supporting STRA owners and operators and advancing best practice, STAAA provides a united national voice to protect members' interests, strengthen industry standards and contribute positively to Australia's visitor economy and broader tourism industry.

STAAA is the only independent STRA association is Australia who has no backing by international booking platforms.

https://staaa.org.au

This release was published on openPR.