Very low vacancy rates have been the reality for most parts of Australia for years now.

And, as a consequence, we’ve seen major rent rises, causing financial hardness for more and more tenants – if they can find somewhere to rent at all. Until recently, media has reported the fact that there is a shortage of rental properties and that rents are rising fast – but there has been no analysis about why we are in this difficult situation.

Now, at last, media is starting to write about the circumstances that have led us to a national rental shortage crisis – specifically, the series of political actions which have deterred investors from buying properties and making them available for rent – or prompting investors to sell up and exit the property investment market.