A recent post in the Facebook page for Noosa Residents Against Unregulared STA a contributor shared a link to a page on the Tourism Noosa Website: https://www.visitnoosa.com.au/stay/holiday-letting-agents. The post was accompanied by the comment:
"Isn't it ironic that we the residents, via Noosa Council, are funding Tourism Noosa so they can advertise STA in our medium and low density zones meant for permanent residents. "
This post has understandably riled many residents. That a wholly ratepayer-funded organisation, is promoting short-term accommodation in residential areas of the Noosa Shire, is not only disgraceful but offensive to every resident and ratepayer whose life has been impacted by these unstaffed hotels popping up in their [not in tourist zone] streets.
Some comments on the post:
"Residents first they say. Unconscionable"
"Apoplectic!!!!! “Holiday homes”!!!!!! What Tourism Noosa calls a “holiday” home. I call a home capable of permanently housing people. In the midst of a housing crisis, we fund this? Houses are for housing. Well - quite clear where our Council stands. Why the hell are we pussy-footing and trying to be unaligned and apolitical? A pox on you all. Disgraceful. Don’t have enough opprobrium or licence to adequately express my view. Disgraceful!!!! I’m paying for this!!!!!! Consider lots of expletives added here..... I shall now just rail in private. What the … what are they thinking? And I !!!!!! and you pay for this!!!!!!"
"Trying to calm. I can’t. It’s not ironic J, it is obscene. It is disgraceful. It is everything wrong with this Council. It is everything wrong w Noosa - where residents are being expunged. Not profitable enough. ...."
"And resorts? They are paying for this too. Great. Your funds draw clients to competitors who are not subject to, and do not meet accommodation business requirements. How is this reasonable?"
"I live in Byron and my neighbour (airbnb owner) told the cleaner that she will be paying her ( the cleaner) less money now for a clean because she isn’t getting a stream of visitors (things have slowed down)! So my cleaner, single Mum with one 12 year old child had her rent bumped from $900 to $1,080 yet the owner of her air BnB client ( who has 3 properties) is asking my cleaner to accept less than before because she doesn’t have enough “guests” on airbnb. Did I hear “greedy” mentioned?
"Well that takes the cake. With our money. And we have no say over how it's spent. When are we going to stop funding that lot? There are a lot of places that money could be better spent."
"We need a council candidate- or team- advocating for ‘Residents First’: campaigning that TN no longer be funded by our rates ( they can apply for council grants), STA be restricted and be self funding and only in compatible zones ( tourism and business) ..and overtourism needs to be addressed- especially now in light of the govt’s plan to force Noosa to somehow fit in another 15000 people over and above the current anticipated population. Beyond a joke. We’re already allowing privatization /commercialization of our national parks- next will be Eco Housing, in National Parks ( because where else will they find the land for the houses?) https://noosatoday.com.au/.../a-tweak-that-may-mean-war/"
"Funding should stop now"
All Noosa ratepayers should be voicing their objections to their rates funding Tourism Noosa while it continues to so openly promote these short-term accommodation businesses in non-commercial zones. Their objective might be to bring more tourists into our Shire, but this should not be at the expense of our neighbourhoods.
We need accommodation for residents, and for the workers who need long term rental homes - families, our teachers, emergency services personnel, waiters, cleaners, baristas, chefs. These are people we are losing because they cannot find affordable long term accommodation in the Noosa Shire.
And what are we residents getting as a result? A different 'guest' each week instead of neighbours who contribute to the fabric of Noosa.
Are the owners/managers of our hotels, motels, resorts, and holiday flats in the tourist zone not concerned about Tourism Noosa's efforts to lure visitors into private homes??
Editor's Note:
Do you have a view on the short term accommodation issue in Noosa? We would love to hear from you and are happy to post your contribution here anonymously. The more local stories we have the better. Please always cite sources whenever statistics are quoted. Email to: nnsnoosa1@gmail.com
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