MEDIA RELEASE
3 July 2014	Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	88/2014

ABS Building Approvals show that the number of dwellings approved fell 1.7 per cent in May 2014, in trend terms, and has fallen for five months.

Dwelling approvals increased in trend terms in the Northern Territory (8.2 per cent) and Tasmania (6.5 per cent). Dwelling approvals decreased in trend terms in the Australian Capital Territory (9.5 per cent), Queensland (3.2 per cent), New South Wales (3.0 per cent), South Australia (1.6 per cent), Western Australia (0.5 per cent) and Victoria (0.2 per cent).

In trend terms, approvals for private sector houses fell 0.2 per cent in May. Private sector house approvals rose in Queensland (0.3 per cent), Victoria (0.2 per cent) and Western Australia (0.2 per cent). In trend terms, approvals for private sector houses fell in New South Wales (2.1 per cent) and South Australia (0.6 per cent).

The value of total building approved fell 3.3 per cent in May, in trend terms, and has fallen for six months. The value of residential building fell 1.1 per cent, while non-residential building fell 7.6 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:

• When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source
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