2026.01.0700:48:16UTC+00Australia Building Permits Bounce Back Sharply

In November 2025, seasonally adjusted approvals for total dwellings in Australia surged by 15.2% month-on-month, reaching a nearly four-year peak of 18,406 units, as per preliminary data. This marked a reversal from the prior month's downwardly revised 6.1% decline. The upswing was largely attributed to a robust recovery in permits for private sector dwellings, excluding houses, which soared by 34.1%, following a 13.5% drop in October. Approvals for private sector houses also experienced a modest recovery, inching up by 1.3% compared to a 1.3% decline previously. Regionally, building permits saw substantial increases in New South Wales (28.7%), Victoria (23.8%), Queensland (34.2%), and South Australia (1.0%), while Western Australia and Tasmania experienced declines of 14.1% and 5.8%, respectively. On an annual scale, dwelling approvals surged by 20.2%, shifting from a revised 1.1% decrease recorded in October.