Surge In Unit Approvals

Building approval figures are up, particularly for apartments, according to the latest Australia Bureau of Statistics figures.

The data shows that in the 12 months to November 2025, there was a 3.2% increase in the total number of houses approved and a 55.3% in the total number of units approved.

While strong building approvals are a positive sign, it will be the commencements data, set to be released in late January, that will show whether this is translating into more homes for Australians.

ABS head of construction statistics, Daniel Rossi, says the November data were fairly strong, with an additional 18,406 dwellings approved, with Queensland and Victoria leading the charge.

Master Builders Association chief economist Shane Garrett says while it is good news that approvals are rising, the pace of housing construction remains well short of what is required to meet the Federal Government targets.