It looks like we officially have a front runner for the year's (if not the century's) poorest taste press release. Yesterday, "Neighbours Not Strangers", who have been lobbying for tighter restrictions on short term letting, had a spray. That is all well and good, in fact their campaign against short term letting and Airbnb in particular does represent a serious point of view, but this one, well, see for yourself…
The media release read:
"Bomber 'was in city-centre flat rented on Airbnb' before arena atrocity"
Along with the profound impact on housing supply created by commercial short-term letting of residential homes, that which we have always endeavoured to impress on legislators is the loss of safety and security when neighbours and neighbourhood communities are undermined by the likes of Airbnb.
Articles, such as that in London's Evening Standard - Manchester attack: Suicide bomber 'was in city-centre flat rented on Airbnb' before arena atrocity - only increase our sense of vulnerability. NSW Legislators, please assure us: are our fears real or imagined?
Meanwhile, we wait the NSW Parliament's 'Options Paper', as Minister Matt Kean's Office continues to deny our request to be included in the consultation process.
Who can honestly have thought this was a good idea? To use an occasion like this to make a point, however relevant it might be?
There comes a point where we as an industry need to look at ourselves and ask, "have I gone just a bit too far?"
And in case the answer is still not clear, our conclusion is, yes. There are some places you simply don't go in making a point.