MEDIA RELEASE
31 March, 2011	Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	41/2011

ABS Building Approvals show that the total number of dwellings approved fell 7.4% in February 2011, in seasonally adjusted terms, after falling 11.6% in January.

According to the ABS, Victoria (-23.1%), Queensland (-11.8%) and Western Australia (-7.4%) recorded fewer dwelling approvals this month while Tasmania (44.6%), South Australia (35.8%) and New South Wales (7.7%) recorded increases in seasonally adjusted terms.

Private sector houses approved rose 0.2% in February with rises in New South Wales (7.4%), South Australia (4.8%), Queensland (1.1%) and Western Australia (0.4%) while Victoria fell (-6.9%).

The value of total building approved rose 13.7% in February in seasonally adjusted terms. The value of total residential building fell by 2.9% while non-residential building rose by 59.3%.

Widespread flooding in the eastern states, particularly Queensland, and other recent natural disasters have not adversely affected participation by providers in the Building Approvals collection or the quality of estimates in this release. However, these events may have had an impact on the number of approved dwellings and the value of approved work in February 2011.

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

Media Note: Please ensure when reporting on ABS data that you attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.