Name and address withheld by request
On the front page of Tuesday’s Echonetdaily was a perspective on holiday letting put forward by Rose Wanchap, a Byron councillor and real estate agent. I was amazed at her statement, ‘There is an excellent set of rules drawn up by the HLO called a code of conduct’. Effectively she is giving a vote of confidence in this code. She contradicts herself by saying it is ‘clear that regulation of the holiday let industry is failing’.
The code of conduct was implemented 13 months ago. A close reading of this code shows its flaws and mistakes. For example, one rule is contrary to the NSW Protection of the Environment Operations Act.
I have read in the media that the code has the support of the state government and one report said it was written by government! This is a fabrication. I have spoken to Don Page, who gave me background information that indicates the NSW government’s lack of confidence in the current code even though he had suggested to Mr Gudgeon of HLO that he develop one.
I have a letter from Brad Hazzard, minister for planning and environment, stating that his department and representatives from councils are going to review this code, to which they had minimal input. It is definitely not a government-developed code.
Echonetdaily needs to present a more balanced perspective, based on investigative journalism, on this important but contentious issue.