wa vacant properties

read this in the paper the other day (didn't have a chance to post until now, apologies if it has already been raised)

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/15902041/empty-houses-hit-rent-crisis/

would be interesting to see a breakdown of where the 66,000 homes are.. staggering that almost 1 in 10 homes in WA is sitting empty

rental and home shortage a self fulfilling, snowballing, story by RE agents? the disparity in bargaining power between purchasers / renters and the selling / letting agents appears wide?