Bill Shorten wants Australians to make money from sharing their properties and services, and Labor says it's got a plan to make it happen.
The opposition leader on Thursday unveiled six principles he hopes to turn into rules and regulations to help give rise to the next Uber or Airbnb in Australia.
"The sharing economy offers exciting potential at the edge of today so that we can do better in the future," he told reporters in Canberra.
"It’s important as we develop these new ideas that regulation keeps up. Labor’s sharing-economy principles can be summarised as light-touch regulation.”
Dozens of companies had sprung up in the past couple of years to make better use of spare resources, such as bedrooms and tools.
Others had creatively tackled issues like a lack of parking and traffic congestion.
Labor's principles focus on ensuring those business maintain good wages and working conditions, proper protection for public safety and access for all - including those with disability.
They also call for businesses to pay a "fair share of tax" and a one-strike rule for those that flout Australian laws.
Uber is tied up in a legal stoush with the Australian Taxation Office over its guidance on UberX drivers being required to pay GST.
Shadow assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh said sharing economy providers want to pay their fair share of tax and Labor's plan was to make sure the sector isn't strangled by red tape.
"We don't have any tolerance for tax dodging but nor do we think that this sector ought to be drowned in additional taxes and additional regulations," he said.
"We just want to get the rules right so innovative companies can prosper and help deal with big Australian challenges such as traffic congestion and housing affordability."
The ACT last month became the first jurisdiction in Australia to regulate ride-sharing, allowing Uber and other services to legally enter the market from October 30.
Mr Shorten said the laws, which allow for car inspections, driver assessments and driver medicals to ensure safety, will be a good test to help guide future regulations.
LABOR'S PRINCIPLES FOR THE SHARING ECONOMY:
1. Primary property is yours to share, but rules and regulations should apply
2. Wages and working conditions must be at least equivalent to the prevailing industry standard
3. Everyone must pay their fair share of tax
4. Proper protection must exist through insurance and consumer law
5. Access for all including Australians with disabilities
6. Zero-tolerance for companies that flout the law
(Source: Labor's National Sharing Economy Principles)
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