01 March 2012

Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)

24/2012

ABS Building Approvals show that the number of dwellings approved rose 0.9% in January 2012, in seasonally adjusted terms, following a fall of 0.8% in December.

Dwelling approvals increased for the month of January in New South Wales (37.6%) and South Australia (6.9%) but fell in Queensland (-22.1%), Tasmania (-3.0%), Victoria (-2.7%) and Western Australia (-0.4%) in seasonally adjusted terms.

In seasonally adjusted terms, approvals for private sector houses fell 0.1% in January with falls in Victoria (-6.7%) and New South Wales (-3.5%), while South Australia (10.5%), Queensland (6.2%) and Western Australia (2.9%) all rose.

The value of total buildings approved increased 52.7% in January in seasonally adjusted terms, following an increase of 2.0% in December. The value of residential building increased 1.1% while non-residential building rose 131.8%.

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.