2 December 2019

MEDIA RELEASE Embargoed 11:30am (AEDT)

The number of dwellings approved fell 0.8 per cent in October 2019, in trend terms, and has fallen for 23 months, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

"The fall was driven by approvals for private sector houses, which decreased by 0.9 per cent in October," said Daniel Rossi, Director of Construction Statistics at the ABS. "Private dwellings excluding houses also fell, by 0.5 per cent."

Across the states and territories, dwelling approvals fell in the Northern Territory (11.1 per cent), New South Wales (4.6 per cent), Queensland (1.4 per cent), and Western Australia (1.0 per cent). Tasmania (4.5 per cent), South Australia (3.1 per cent), Australian Capital Territory (3.1 per cent), and Victoria (1.3 per cent) recorded increases, in trend terms.

Approvals for private sector houses fell in New South Wales (2.3 per cent), Victoria (1.7 per cent), Western Australia (0.2 per cent), and Queensland (0.1 per cent). South Australia rose 2.0 per cent, in trend terms.

The seasonally adjusted estimate for total dwellings approved fell 8.1 per cent in October, driven by a 11.3 per cent decrease in private dwellings excluding houses. Private sector houses fell 7.0 per cent.

The value of total building approved fell 0.7 per cent in October, in trend terms, and has fallen for two months. The value of residential building fell 1.2 per cent, while non-residential building fell 0.2 per cent.

Further information is available in Building Approvals, Australia (cat no. 8731.0).

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