8750.0 - Dwelling Unit Commencements, Australia, Preliminary, Mar 2005  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/06/2005   
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MARCH KEY FIGURES

Mar qtr 05
Dec qtr 04 to Mar qtr 05
Mar qtr 04 to Mar qtr 05
no.
%
%

Trend Estimates

Total dwelling units commenced
37,653
-3.0
-14.2
New private sector houses
24,551
-3.6
-16.3
New private sector other residential building
11,379
-2.4
-13.6

Seasonally Adjusted Estimates

Total dwelling units commenced
38,038
-2.2
-14.1
New private sector houses
24,801
-3.4
-15.3
New private sector other residential building
11,712
3.1
-13.6

Dwelling units commenced - Total
Graph: Dwelling units commenced - total

Private dwellings commenced, Trend
Graph: Private Sector Dwellings Commenced



MARCH KEY POINTS


TREND ESTIMATES

  • The trend estimate for the total number of dwelling units commenced fell 3.0% in the March quarter 2005 and is now showing a fall over the last four quarters.
  • New private sector house commencements fell 3.6% in the latest quarter, the fourth consecutive quarterly fall.
  • New private other residential building commencements fell 2.4% in the March quarter 2005.


SEASONALLY ADJUSTED ESTIMATES
  • In seasonally adjusted terms, the total number of dwelling units commenced fell 2.2%, to 38,038, in the March quarter 2005. This is the fourth consecutive quarterly fall.
  • New private sector house commencements fell 3.4%, to 24,801.
  • New private other residential building rose 3.1%, to 11,712, in the March quarter 2005. This is still 13.6% below the level reported in the March quarter 2004.


NOTES


ABOUT THIS ISSUE

This publication provides an early indication of trends in the number of dwelling units commenced. The data are estimates based on a response rate of approximately 90% of a sample of building jobs collected in the Building Activity Survey. More comprehensive and updated results will be released in Building Activity, Australia (cat. no. 8752.0) on 18 July 2005.



CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE

Time series spreadsheets will be released in Excel format for the first time with the June quarter 2005 issue of this publication on 14 September 2005. A concordance between the current Lotus 1,2,3 spreadsheets and the proposed Excel spreadsheets is available in Information Paper: Changes to Ausstats Tables for Dwelling Unit Commencements, Australia, Preliminary (cat. no. 8750.0.55.001).



SIGNIFICANT REVISIONS THIS ISSUE

The total number of dwelling units commenced in Australia during the December quarter 2004 has been revised downwards by 384 (-0.9%) from the estimate published in Building Activity, Australia, December quarter 2004 (cat. no. 8752.0) released on 20 April 2005.



INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Andrew Stidston on Adelaide (08) 8237 7668.


DWELLING UNIT COMMENCEMENTS,ORIGINAL ESTIMATES

Mar qtr 05
Dec qtr 04 to Mar qtr 05
Mar qtr 04 to Mar qtr 05
no.
%
%

New private sector houses
22,648
-14.8
-15.4
New private sector other residential building
10,383
-17.7
-13.5
Private sector conversion, etc.
374
-6.7
-16.7
Public sector dwellings
833
-34.2
16.8
Total dwelling units
34,238
-16.2
-14.2

  • The total number of dwelling units commenced fell 16.2% in the March quarter 2005, to 34,238.
  • New private sector house commencements fell 14.8%, to 22,648. Commencements fell in all states and territories. The largest falls were in New South Wales (-25.6%) and Victoria (-19.6%).
  • New private sector other residential building fell 17.7%, to 10,383. Rises in Queensland, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory only partially offset falls in the remaining states and territories.
  • The total number of public sector dwellings commenced fell 34.2%, to 833.

Graph: DWELLING UNIT COMMENCEMENTS,Original Estimates



DWELLING UNIT COMMENCEMENTS, STATES AND TERRITORIES

NEW SOUTH WALES
Graph: Dwelling units commenced, NSW



The trend estimate of dwelling unit commencements has fallen for the past four quarters, with the rate of decline increasing in recent quarters.


VICTORIA

Graph: Dwelling units commenced, Vic.



The trend estimate of dwelling unit commencements shows falls for the past five quarters.


QUEENSLAND

Graph: Dwelling units commenced, Qld



The trend estimate of dwelling unit commencements has fallen for the last four quarters.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Graph: Dwelling units commenced, SA



The trend estimate of dwelling unit commencements is now showing small rises for the past three quarters.


WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Graph: Dwelling units commenced, WA



The trend estimate of dwelling unit commencements has declined marginally over the last four quarters.


TASMANIA

Graph: Dwelling units commenced, Tas.



The trend estimate of dwelling unit commencements was relatively flat in the latest quarter after two months of decline.


NORTHERN TERRITORY

Graph: Dwelling units commenced, NT



The trend estimate of dwelling unit commencements is now showing growth for the past seven quarters.


AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Graph: Dwelling units commenced, ACT



The trend estimate of dwelling unit commencements showed a strong rise in the most recent quarter after three quarters of decline.