04 March 2014

Embargoed: 11.30 am (AEST)

26/2014

ABS Building Approvals show that the number of dwellings approved rose 1.3 per cent in January 2014, in trend terms, and has risen for 15 months.

The following changes occurred in dwelling approvals, in trend terms, in January: New South Wales increased by 1.5 per cent, Victoria increased by 1.4 per cent, Queensland increased by 2.6 per cent, South Australia increased by 2.7 per cent, Western Australia increased by 0.7 per cent, Tasmania decreased by 1.2 per cent, Northern Territory decreased by 28.5 per cent and Australian Capital Territory decreased by 2.3 per cent.

Approvals for private sector houses rose, in trend terms, 2.0 per cent in January, and has now risen for 13 consecutive months.

For the states for which trend series are produced, the following changes occurred in private sector house approvals, in trend terms, in January: New South Wales increased by 2.3 per cent, Victoria increased by 3.2 per cent, Queensland increased by 1.2 per cent, South Australia increased by 2.8 per cent and Western Australia was flat.

The value of total building approved rose 1.4 per cent in January, in trend terms, and has risen for 24 months. The value of residential building rose 1.1 per cent, while non-residential building rose 1.7 per cent in trend terms.

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.