New Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) building approvals data shows total dwelling approvals fell sharply in December 2025, but the broader trend across 2025 remained positive.
Key points:
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Total dwellings approved in December 2025 fell 14.9 per cent to 15,540.
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The monthly decline was driven by a 31.4 per cent fall in multi-unit approvals, while detached house approvals edged up 0.3 per cent.
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Across the 2025 calendar year, total dwelling approvals reached 195,730, up 12.8 per cent compared to 2024.
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Multi-unit approvals totalled 82,330 in 2025, up 31.4 per cent year-on-year.
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Detached house approvals totalled 113,410 in 2025, up 2.4 per cent year-on-year.
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Council-approved renovation work increased 5.3 per cent in 2025 to $14.3 billion.
State and territory results were mixed. South Australia recorded the largest annual increase (+22.3 per cent), followed by New South Wales (+21.0 per cent), Western Australia (+13.4 per cent), Queensland (+10.5 per cent) and Victoria (+2.1 per cent), while Tasmania declined (-2.5 per cent). In trend terms, the ACT (+86.1 per cent) and Northern Territory (+51.6 per cent) also lifted strongly.
While the 2025 uplift is encouraging, approvals remain below the estimated 240,000 new homes per year required to meet the National Housing Accord target.