"While rental affordability improved marginally in the larger states of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland as well as in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, a large decline in rental affordability in South Australia and Tasmania offset this improvement resulting in an overall decline in rental affordability nationally."

Here is a state-by-state roundup of the March quarter.

Housing affordability improved in Queensland with the proportion of income required to meet loan repayments decreasing to 27.5%.

Loans to first home buyers decreased to 4,677, a decrease of 17.4 per cent over the quarter.

Loans (excluding refinancing) decreased to 17,979, a decrease of 16.9 per cent over the quarter.

Housing affordability improved with the proportion of income required to meet monthly loan repayments decreasing to 26.9 per cent.

Loans to first home buyers decreased to 1,370, a decrease of 16.7 per cent over the quarter.

Housing affordability improved with the proportion of income required to meet loan repayments decreasing to 22.6 per cent.

First home buyers decreased to 3,313 in the March quarter.

Housing affordability improved with the proportion of income required to meet loan repayments decreasing to 25.4 per cent.

First home buyers decreased to 475, a decrease of 12.8 per cent over the quarter.

Housing affordability declined with the proportion of income required to meet loan repayments increasing to 20.2 per cent.

Loans to first home buyers decreased to 187, a decrease of 28.4% over the March quarter.

New loans (excluding refinancing)decreased to 506, a decrease of 22.0 per cent over the quarter.

Housing affordability improved with the proportion of income required to meet loan repayments decreasing to 20.3 per cent.

Loans to first home buyers decreased to 392, a decrease of 44.8 per cent over the quarter.

Loans (excluding refinancing) decreased to 1,952, a decrease of 31.0 per cent over the quarter.