I think the norm in Europe has been to rent for some time and as such tenants have more rights. Until recently, if you were renting in Australia you were in the minority and the rights of landlords seems to be skewed above tenants. Leases are usually a year and rarely any longer which can lead to instability for some tenants. Not to mention that tenants often aren't even allowed to hang pictures on their walls.

This opinion piece goes into some detail of the differences: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-11/bagwell-australian-a-n...