4 October 2012

Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)

153/2012

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Building Approvals show that the number of dwellings approved rose 6.4% in August 2012, in seasonally adjusted terms, following a fall of 21.2% in the previous month.

Dwelling approvals increased in Victoria (30.2%), Western Australia (16.1%) and Queensland (1.8%) but decreased in New South Wales (-18.3%), South Australia (-1.0%) and Tasmania (-0.9%) in seasonally adjusted terms.

In seasonally adjusted terms, approvals for private sector houses fell 0.5% in August. Private sector house approvals fell in New South Wales (-10.4%) and Queensland (-3.6%) but rose in Western Australia (11.0%), South Australia (1.4%) and Victoria (0.8%).

The value of total building approved rose 9.4%, in seasonally adjusted terms, after falling for 2 months. The value of residential building rose 9.2% while non-residential building rose 9.8%.

Further information is available in Building Approvals, Australia (cat no. 8731.0) on the ABS website at www.abs.gov.au

Media Note: Please ensure when reporting on ABS data that you attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.