Hobart Council Using AI to Catch Unregistered Short-Stay Accommodation Providers

An Airbnb spokesman told The Epoch Times the company supports governance measures around the program.

A woman browses the Airbnb website on a tablet in Berlin on April 28, 2016. John MacDougall/AFP via Getty Images

The city of Hobart has officially started to trial new artificial intelligence (AI) software capable of poring over the internet in search of unregistered short-term rentals.

Since 2023, short-term rentals in the Hobart region have attracted twice the council rates of all other properties in a move to deter homes from being taken out of the private rental market.

And with a 2018-19 report listing annual Hobart council rates at $3,471 on average and a reported 46 percent rate hike over the past decade to 2025, the city can be a pricey place to own property—even more so if it’s used as a short-term holiday rental.

There are also reportedly thousands of short-term accommodation properties in Tasmania, making it one of the most populous regions for holidaymakers vacationing in home-stays.

The AI modelling being employed by the City of Hobart will scan the internet regularly to ensure those offering short-term accommodation are registered under the Short Stay Accommodation Act.

The process will replace human labour, which can take a much longer time to carry out the same task.

Airbnb Responds

Airbnb Head of Public Policy for Airbnb Australia and New Zealand Michael Crosby told The Epoch Times the company supported all legislation to ensure homes were compliant with local laws.

“All hosts on Airbnb are expected to comply with local laws and regulations,” he said.

“Airbnb supports the Tasmanian Government’s statewide short-stay accommodation registration scheme and shares data, along with other short-stay accommodation platforms, with the government quarterly so councils and policymakers can make evidence-based decisions.”

Fanning back criticism around Airbnb properties taking homes off the market, Crosby said many homeowners relied upon letting out part or all of their homes as a source of income.

“Hosting is an economic lifeline for many during this cost of living crisis, with 45 percent of Aussie hosts saying the money they earn from Airbnb helps them stay in their homes,” he said.

In 2024, Airbnb highlighted a report by think tank Urbis, which found short-term holiday rentals made up 1-2 percent of the total housing stock in Australia.

The report also found no strong correlation between the number of homes listed as short-term accommodation and rental affordability or vacancy rates.

On the other hand, there are arguments that the short-term accommodation industry has become increasingly problematic in Australia.

In 2023, the Centre for Equitable Housing put forth a recommendation that local governments should charge higher rates for short-term accommodation after a study found 86,693 properties were listed as short-term stays in the six regions studied.

“It is important to get the balance right so the core issue of housing affordability is addressed, without jeopardising the economic benefits that flow from short-stay accommodation, with Oxford Economics finding Airbnb contributes millions to the Tasmanian economy and supports thousands of jobs,” Crosby said.

Airbnb is an online platform that allows property owners to rent out rooms or an entire property for holiday accommodation, generally allowing much higher rates to be charged.