The total number of dwellings approved fell 6.0 per cent in October, in seasonally adjusted terms, following a 8.1 per cent decrease in September, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Daniel Rossi, Director of Construction Statistics at the ABS, said: "The result was driven by private sector dwellings excluding houses, which decreased 11.3 per cent. Approvals for private sector houses fell 2.2 per cent."
Across Australia, total dwelling approvals fell in New South Wales (-18.8 per cent), Queensland (-18.7 per cent), and Tasmania (-10.5 per cent), while South Australia (17.6 per cent), Victoria (5.8 per cent), and Western Australia (5.7 per cent) recorded increases.
Approvals for private sector houses were mixed, with Queensland (-13.8 per cent) and Western Australia (-0.4 per cent) decreasing, while Victoria (1.1 per cent), New South Wales (0.2 per cent), and South Australia (0.2 per cent) rose in October.
The value of total building approvals fell 0.2 per cent in October, following a 7.1 per cent decrease in September. The value of total residential building approvals fell 2.1 per cent, comprising of a 2.7 per cent decrease in new residential building and a 1.4 per cent increase in alterations and additions.
The value of non-residential building approvals rose 2.6 per cent, after rising 6.9 per cent in September.
