General News
9 September, 2026
Airbnb rules under review
CAIRNS Regional Council is “actively investigating” its regulatory framework for short-term accommodation management following the recent rejection of a development application for a Cairns Street residence.
At its July meeting, councillors Rob Pyne, Trevor Tim, Anna Middleton and Mayor Amy Eden opposed a motion to allow a material change of use on the property, so it could include short-term accommodation as well as long-term accommodation at the site.
The surprise result – which went against a council planning report recommendation to support the application – highlighted the issue of Airbnb and other short-term accommodation facilities being set up in urban or residential streets without consideration for community amenity.
It also illustrated an effective avenue neighbourhoods could take when an operation begins without first getting the required licence.
A council spokesman said council received four submissions against the development application for the Cairns Street property.
“These submissions formed part of the assessment process and were considered alongside the application and the relevant planning requirements,” he said.
The opposing submissions had complained to council that the property was already being used in a short-term accommodation capacity and was adding noise, parking and traffic chaos and late-night disruptions to what was usually a quiet neighbourhood street.
Council would not confirm whether the property had already been in operation, or what its future now was, but that it did not “hold approval to lawfully operate as short-term accommodation”.
The spokesman said should council be made aware of any “unauthorised land use”, the matter would be assessed and “appropriate regulatory action may be taken”.
Currently, approvals for short-term accommodation licences were taken on a case-by-case basis, according to merit and the council planning scheme.
In speaking against the Cairns Street application, Cr Pyne had said: “nearly 100,000 properties are now controlled by a small handful of corporate operators hollowing out affordable housing from our communities”.
“And what do we get in return? Neighbours dealing with constant noise, late night parties, parking chaos and a revolving door of strangers who have no stake in our community.”
He had called on council to place a cap on unhosted short-term rentals and introduce clearer, stricter registration requirements and monitoring.
Cr Eden said in a statement last week that council understood the need for an “appropriate balance between supporting Cairns’ visitor economy and maintaining housing availability for local residents”.
“Council is actively investigating potential changes to the regulatory framework to ensure short-term accommodation is appropriately managed across the region,” she said.
However, housing challenges could not be attributed to a single issue,” Cr Eden said.
