A Greens councillor has helped stop a push to lift rates on Hobart’s whole-home short-stays, despite his own party’s policy backing the phase-out of them in residential areas.
Bill Harvey joined four others in a 5-5 tied vote at Monday night’s council meeting, defeating a motion to lift rates on whole-home short-stays to 400% of the residential rate from 2027-28.
Harvey said he agreed with the principle, but objected to the use of a notice of motion.
He said he wanted to first assess the impact of recent measures, including the council’s April decision to increase short-stay application fees from $435 to $5,000 and a pending 5% short-stay levy being pursued by the state government.
“It really pains me because I know we don’t solve a crisis by being timid about it,” Harvey said.
“But I do believe process is really important.”
The motion was moved by Ben Lohberger and seconded by Ryan Posselt. It would have been subject to consultation and legal advice.
A differential introduced in 2023 already charges short-stay owners double the residential rate.
People renting out a spare room in their own home would not have been affected.
Lohberger said the existing differential had slowed, but not stopped, the loss of long-term housing, with more than 100 short-stay permits approved since rates were doubled.
“If there are more homes in Hobart’s long-term residential market it means more people are housed during a housing crisis,” Lohberger said.
“At the end of the day it really is that simple.”
Posselt said about 700 homes had been lost to short-stay accommodation across Hobart, likening the figure to “14 apartment blocks of 50 units”.
Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds backed the motion, saying Hobart’s residential population had fallen each year since 2022.
“This is an existential crisis on the residential population of our city,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds cited Shelter Tasmania research finding 57% of Hobart’s whole-home short-stays had previously been advertised as long-term rentals.
Alderman Louise Bloomfield, who voted against the proposal, said the move would not deliver a single new home.
“This is not careful governance. This is using the rating system as a weapon,” Bloomfield said.
Alderman Marti Zucco said the proposal could raise about $2.2 million, but would not deliver any extra social housing.
The motion was supported by Ben Lohberger, Ryan Posselt, Mike Dutta, Zelinda Sherlock and Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds.
It was opposed by Bill Harvey, Louise Bloomfield, Marti Zucco, John Kelly and Will Coats.
Greens councillor Gemma Kitsos and councillor Louise Elliot, who remains suspended, were absent.
