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Construction Work Done, Australia, Preliminary

Latest release

Provides preliminary estimates of value of total construction work done, building work done and engineering construction work done

Reference period
September 2024
Released
27/11/2024
  • Next Release 26/02/2025
    Construction Work Done, Australia, Preliminary, December 2024
  • Next Release 28/05/2025
    Construction Work Done, Australia, Preliminary, March 2025
  • Next Release 27/08/2025
    Construction Work Done, Australia, Preliminary, June 2025
  • View all releases

Key statistics

In seasonally adjusted terms in the September quarter:

  • Total construction work done rose 1.6% to $73,344.9m
  • Building work done rose 0.7% to $38,638.0m
  • Engineering work done rose 2.6% to $34,706.9m

The trend estimate for total construction work done rose 0.7%.

Value of construction work done

 

Value of construction work done, chain volume measures, seasonally adjusted estimates (a)
 Sep qtr 24 ($m)Jun qtr 24 to 
Sep qtr 24 (%)
Sep qtr 23 to 
Sep qtr 24 (%)
Building38,638.00.70.8
Residential23,373.01.80.1
Non-residential15,265.0-1.01.7
Engineering34,706.92.66.0
Total construction73,344.91.63.2
  1. Reference year for Chain Volume Measures is 2022-23.

 

Value of construction work done, chain volume measures, trend estimates (a)
 Sep qtr 24 ($m)Jun qtr 24 to 
Sep qtr 24 (%)
Sep qtr 23 to 
Sep qtr 24 (%)
Building38,499.50.40.3
Residential23,294.41.51.2
Non-residential15,218.0-1.1-1.0
Engineering34,326.00.83.8
Total construction72,838.90.71.9
  1. Reference year for Chain Volume Measures is 2022-23.

a. Reference year for Chain Volume Measures is 2022-23.

The value of total construction work done rose 1.6% in the September quarter, in seasonally adjusted terms. The increase was driven by engineering work, which rose 2.6% in the September quarter and is 6.0% higher than the same time last year. Building work rose 0.7% and is 0.8% higher than the same time last year. 

The trend estimate for total construction work done rose 0.7% in the September quarter.

a. Reference year for Chain Volume Measures is 2022-23.

The value of building work rose 0.7% in the September quarter, in seasonally adjusted terms. The increase was driven by a rise in residential building work, which increased 1.8% in the September quarter and is 0.1% higher than at the same time last year. Non-residential building work fell 1.0% in the September quarter and is 1.7% higher than at the same time last year. 

The trend estimate for total building work done rose 0.4% in the September quarter.

An article Home building through the pandemic was released on 19 November 2024, providing insights into home building conditions from 2019-2024.

Value of construction work done, seasonally adjusted chain volume measures
State/TerritorySep qtr 24 ($m)Jun qtr 24 to 
Sep qtr 24 (%)
Sep qtr 23 to 
Sep qtr 24 (%)
New South Wales20,845.52.6-2.4
Victoria18,842.22.45.0
Queensland14,469.6-0.55.0
South Australia4,326.00.5-4.6
Western Australia11,620.0-1.611.8
Tasmania1,162.44.24.9
Northern Territory916.3-4.25.3
Australian Capital Territory948.5-4.7-10.0
  1. Reference year for Chain Volume Measures is 2022-23.

Total construction work done rose in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, whilst total construction work done fell in all other states and territories.

Data downloads

Data downloads

Data files
Data files

About this issue

This publication provides an early indication of trends in building and engineering construction activity. The data are preliminary estimates with a response rate of approximately 80% of surveyed construction entities during the quarter. These estimates are subject to revision when results are updated in Engineering Construction Activity, Australia on 15 January 2025 and in Building Activity, Australia on 22 January 2025.

Mining projects tend to be complex in structure and comprise a number of different investment activities including exploration, engineering construction, plant and equipment and buildings. A feature article released in the March 2012 issue of Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure, Australia provides a summary of the conceptual basis of the relevant ABS publications that measure investment in Australia, using a hypothetical mining project to illustrate how this investment is reflected in ABS data.

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Changes this release

Chain volume reference year updated

A new base year, 2022-23, has been introduced in the chain volume estimates resulting in revisions to growth rates in subsequent periods. In addition, the chain volume estimates have been re-referenced to 2022-23, preserving additivity in the quarters after the reference year. Re-referencing affects the levels of, but not the movements in, chain volume estimates. For further information, see the methodology.

Annual seasonal review

The annual review of seasonal factors has been completed. No changes were made to the seasonal adjustment of the Building Activity or Engineering Construction Activity series in this publication.

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 8755.0.

Methodology

Scope

  • Building activity in Australia on approved work greater than $10,000.
  • All engineering construction work undertaken in Australia.

Geography

Data available for:

  • Australia
  • States and territories

Source

  • Building Activity Survey
  • Engineering Construction Survey

Collection method

  • Sample of contractors likely to conduct engineering construction activities, selected from the ABS business register each quarter.
  • Survey responses from builders and other individuals and organisations engaged in building activity.

History of changes

  • Trend series were reinstated in the September 2022 release.
  • Concurrent seasonal adjustment for building activity was reinstated in the September 2022 release.
View full methodology
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