Rebound in Australia Building Permits Confirmed

The seasonally adjusted number of total dwellings approved in Australia soared 29.7% month-on-month to a near five-year high of 19,022 units in February 2026, confirming preliminary data and swinging from a 7.2% drop in the previous month. It marked the first rise in permits since November, as approvals for private sector dwellings excluding houses rebounded strongly (101.2% vs -25.0% in January). Meanwhile, permits for private sector houses were subdued (0.2% vs 1.7%). By region, building permits increased in most states, including New South Wales (10.1%), Victoria (85.1%), Queensland (14.7%), South Australia (12.3%), and Western Australia (3.1%). In contrast, Tasmania saw a 27.7% decline. On an annual basis, dwelling approvals expanded 14.0%, reversing a 1.5% drop in January.

The seasonally adjusted number of total dwellings approved in Australia surged 29.7% month-on-month to a near five-year high of 19,022 units in February 2026, reversing a 7.2% drop in the previous month, preliminary data showed. It was the first rise in permits since November, as approvals for private sector dwellings excluding houses rebounded strongly (101.2% vs -25.0% in January). Meanwhile, permits for private sector houses were subdued (0.2% vs 1.7%). By region, building permits increased in most states, including New South Wales (10.1%), Victoria (85.1%), Queensland (14.7%), South Australia (12.3%), and Western Australia (3.1%). In contrast, Tasmania saw a 27.7% decline. On an annual basis, dwelling approvals expanded 14.0%, reversing a 1.5% drop in January.

The seasonally adjusted number of total dwellings approved in Australia dropped 7.2% month-on-month to a 19-month low of 14,564 units in January 2026, confirming preliminary estimates. This followed a 14.9% decline in the previous month. Approvals for private sector dwellings excluding houses continued to drop, though at a slower pace (-24.5% vs -30.7% in December). Meanwhile, permits for private sector houses rose at a slightly softer rate (1.1% vs 1.2%). Regionally, building permits fell in Victoria (-11.0%), South Australia (-9.3%), Queensland (-6.0%) and New South Wales (-5.1%), while increased in Tasmania (14.1%) and Western Australia (13.7%). On an annual basis, dwelling approvals declined 15.7%, the biggest fall since December 2023, reversing a 1.1% rise in the prior month.