Engineering Construction Activity, Australia

Latest release

Contains value of engineering construction work done, commenced and yet to be done

Reference period
March 2026
Release date and time
24/06/2026 11:30am AEST

Key statistics

In the March quarter:

  • seasonally adjusted work done rose 7.1%
  • seasonally adjusted work done for the private sector rose 15.9%
  • value of work commenced decreased 6.2% in original terms
  • trend work done decreased 0.7%

Value of work done

Value of work done, chain volume measures, seasonally adjusted estimate (a)
 Mar qtr 26 
($m)
Dec qtr 25 to Mar qtr 26 
(%)
Mar qtr 25 to Mar qtr 26 
(%)
For the private sector22,928.115.914.5
For the public sector (b)15,940.0-3.5-5.5
Total engineering construction38,868.17.15.3
  1. Reference year for chain volume measures is 2023-24.
  2. Includes work done by the private sector for the public sector and work done by the public sector.
Value of work done, chain volume measures, trend estimate (a)
 Mar qtr 26 
($m)
Dec qtr 25 to Mar qtr 26 
(%)
 Mar qtr 25 to Mar qtr 26 
(%)
For the private sector19,574.5-0.3-0.7
For the public sector (b)16,216.7-1.2-4.1
Total engineering construction35,791.3-0.7-2.3
  1. Reference year for chain volume measures is 2023-24.
  2. Includes work done by the private sector for the public sector and work done by the public sector.
  1. Reference year for chain volume measures is 2023-24.
  1. Reference year for chain volume measures is 2023-24.

Value of work done, chain volume measures

Total

The seasonally adjusted estimate for the value of total engineering construction work done rose 7.1% in the March quarter to $38,868.1m. The trend estimate fell 0.7%. 

Private sector

The seasonally adjusted estimate for the value of work done for the private sector rose 15.9% in the March quarter to $22,928.1m. The trend estimate fell 0.3%.

Public sector

The seasonally adjusted estimate for the value of work done for the public sector fell 3.5% in the March quarter to $15,940.0m. The trend estimate fell 1.2%.

Value of work commenced

Total 

The value of work commenced fell 6.2% in the March quarter to $31,209.5m in original terms.

Private sector

The value of work commenced for the private sector in the March quarter was $19,881.3m in original terms.

Public sector

The value of work commenced for the public sector in the March quarter was $11,328.2m in original terms.

Data downloads

Time series spreadsheets

Data files
Data files

About this release

This publication updates the preliminary estimates released in Construction Work Done, Australia on 27 May 2026. This release includes revisions to Engineering Construction data back to December 2020.

Article archive

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 8762.0

Methodology

Scope

All engineering construction work undertaken in Australia.

Excludes construction of buildings such as houses and offices.

Geography

Data available for:

  • Australia
  • States and territories.

Source

Engineering Construction Survey

Collection method

Data is collected from primary contractors (not subcontractors) of projects.

A sample of 2500-3000 businesses that are likely to conduct engineering construction activities are selected from the ABS business register each quarter.

History of changes

The trend series for Engineering Construction was reinstated in the September quarter 2022.

View full methodology
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