VICTIMS fleeing family violence are now facing an extra 7.5 per cent tax when booking short-stay accommodation, a change that has drawn criticism from State Member for Eildon, Cindy McLeish.
The short-stay levy, introduced by the state government in January, applies to Airbnb and other temporary accommodation options across Victoria.
The government said the tax would help address housing affordability and fund social housing, but concerns have been raised about the impact on those escaping dangerous situations.
Ms McLeish, said the levy is adding an unnecessary financial burden on victims and the services supporting them.
“These services are doing their best to help the growing number of domestic violence victims, and they can’t afford to be paying an extra tax,” she said.
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“The victims fleeing by themselves often have very little and need all the help they can get getting back on their feet.
“Victims of family violence are certainly not having a holiday, they are looking to find somewhere safe."
The state opposition last year proposed an amendment to exempt family violence victims from the levy, but the government voted against it, something Ms McLeish said "was predictable and avoidable."
She added that emergency accommodation is already difficult to secure, with many victims forced into motels due to a lack of available housing.
“I’m always hearing stories of those fleeing family violence who can’t find accommodation and too often end up in motels,” said Ms McLeish.
In a media release last week, Ms McLeish referred to comments made by then-Attorney General Jaclyn Symes during parliamentary debate last year.
“These proposed changes are not able to be implemented in a workable way because anyone could claim that they meet one of the exemption criteria, and it would be therefore impossible to verify that,” Ms Symes said at the time, adding that allowing exemptions would “completely undermine the purpose of the bill”, which was designed to boost long-term rental supply and support social housing.
However, according to the Victorian Tourism Industry Council, 40 per cent of short-stay bookings are for reasons other than holidays.
Ms McLeish said the tax puts additional pressure on people already in desperate situations.
“We have a government that, on the one hand, pretends to care about the most vulnerable members of the community, those escaping domestic violence, but in reality, they are happy to tax everyone to fill budget black holes,” she said.
“Accommodation is a key factor in women’s decision to flee family violence.
“They should not have to choose between a family violence crisis and a homelessness crisis."
The state opposition has said it would repeal the levy if elected in 2026.
