NSW Government Mistakenly Flags Real Apartment Photo as AI-Doctored Rental Listing
So, there was this mix-up reported by The Guardian where a real photo of an apartment in Leichhardt got mistakenly labeled by the New South Wales government as an AI-generated rental ad. The picture featured a $5,000 mural of Bondi Beach. IB Property stepped in, claiming the image was genuine and hadn’t been altered by AI. This apartment was rented out back in February 2026 and hasn’t been on the market since. This confusion happened just as the new Residential Tenancies (Protection of Personal Information) Amendment Bill 2025 was introduced, which requires landlords to disclose any digitally edited images, with fines of up to $15,321 ($22,000 AUD) for those who don’t comply. Minister Anoulack Chanthivong hasn’t commented on this error.
Key facts
- The New South Wales government mistakenly identified an authentic apartment photograph as an AI-doctored rental listing.
- The apartment is located in Leichhardt, a suburb of Sydney about 7.4 miles from Bondi Beach.
- The photograph showed an open-plan living and kitchen area with what appeared to be a coastal view of Bondi Beach through the window.
- The listing agency IB Property disputed the claim that the image had been digitally altered using AI.
- The apparent beach view was actually a $5,000 courtyard mural depicting Bondi Beach.
- A spokesperson confirmed the image had not been altered or digitally generated using AI, Photoshop, or any other image-editing software.
- The property was leased in February 2026 and had not been advertised since.
- Under the Residential Tenancies (Protection of Personal Information) Amendment Bill 2025, real estate businesses in New South Wales could be fined up to $15,321 ($22,000 AUD) for failing to disclose digitally altered or AI-generated photos.
- Anoulack Chanthivong, the better regulation and fair trading minister, did not respond directly to The Guardian's questions about the mistake.
Entities
Artists
- Anoulack Chanthivong
Institutions
- New South Wales government
- IB Property
- The Guardian
Locations
- Sydney
- Australia
- New South Wales
- Bondi Beach
- Leichhardt