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MARCH KEY FIGURES

		Mar qtr 04	Dec qtr 03 to Mar qtr 04	Mar qtr 03 to Mar qtr 04
		no.	% change	% change
Trend estimates
Dwelling units commenced
	New private sector houses	29,995	3.0	11.5
	Total dwelling units	44,747	3.4	8.3
Seasonally Adjusted
Dwelling units commenced
	New private sector houses	28,952	-3.9	4.8
	Total dwelling units	43,637	-2.7	4.9

Dwelling units commenced - Total

New houses commenced - Private sector

MARCH KEY POINTS


TREND ESTIMATES

• The trend estimate for the total number of dwelling units commenced rose 3.4% in the March quarter 2004, the third successive quarterly increase.
• New private sector houses rose 3.0% in the latest quarter, but the rate of growth has eased for the last two quarters.

• In seasonally adjusted terms, the total number of dwelling units commenced fell 2.7%, to 43,637, in the March quarter.
• New private sector house commencements fell 3.9%, to 28,952, following increases in the previous two quarters.
• Tasmania recorded the largest increase in the total number of dwelling commencements (+20.2%, to the highest number since the December quarter 1994), followed by New South Wales (+18.9%) and Western Australia (+3.5% to the highest for four years). The Australian Capital Territory showed the largest decrease (-20.5%), followed by Victoria (-15.1%), Queensland (-9.4%, but still the second highest since the December quarter 1994) and South Australia (-4.1%).

CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE

The Explanatory Notes have been revised by the inclusion of a separate Glossary of terms.

SIGNIFICANT REVISIONS THIS ISSUE

The total number of dwelling units commenced in Australia during the December quarter 2003 has been revised downwards by 315 (-0.7%) from the estimate published in Building Activity, Australia, December quarter 2003 (cat. no. 8752.0) released on 19 April 2004.

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Tony Bammann on Adelaide (08) 8237 7316.

SUMMARY COMMENTARY


DWELLING UNIT COMMENCEMENTS

ORIGINAL ESTIMATES

		Mar qtr 04	Dec qtr 03 to Mar qtr 04	Mar qtr 03 to Mar qtr 04
		no.	% change	% change
Dwelling units commenced
	New private sector houses	26,886	-12.6	4.4
	Other private sector dwellings	12,472	-16.6	3.6
	Public sector dwellings	780	14.7	11.9
	Total dwelling units	40,138	-13.5	4.3

• The total number of dwelling units commenced fell 13.5% in the March quarter 2004, to 40,138.
• New private sector house commencements fell 12.6%, to 26,886. The Australian Capital Territory recorded the largest percentage decrease (-35.2%) followed by the Northern Territory (-30.3%), Queensland (-16.9%), New South Wales (-13.5%), Victoria (-13.2%), South Australia (-11.8%) and Western Australia (-2.5%). Tasmania (+2.7%) was the only state or territory to record an increase.
• Other private sector dwellings fell 16.6% to 12,472. Most states and territories recorded falls of almost 30% or more. However, Tasmania recorded an increase of more than 170% and New South Wales an increase of 18.2%.
• The total number of public sector dwellings commenced rose 14.7% to 780. The increase was from the second lowest level on record.