Housing industry insights
Advocacy & policy
News & inspiration
Support & guidance
Member perks
Industry insurance
For your business
Apprentices
Building it right
Building materials & products
Managing your business
Managing your safety
Building your business
Other subjects
A rewarding career
Study with us
A job in the industry
Grow with us
Our podcasts
Our initiatives
Get involved
Awards
Awards winners
Industry events
Most popular products
Top categories
For your business
{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.text}} {{region}} Change location{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change location {{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.text}} {{region}} Change location{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change locationHousing approvals rise at the start of 2025
Housing approvals rise at the start of 2025
Member and guest login
Enter your email and password to access secured content, members only resources and discount prices.
Did you become a member online? If not, you will need to activate your account to login.
If you are having problems logging in, please call HIA helpdesk on 1300 650 620 during business hours.
Forgotten password
Need some help?
If you are having problems logging in, please call HIA helpdesk on 1300 650 620 during business hours.
If the email address you have entered is registered, you will receive an email with further instructions.
Become part of the HIA community
Enables quick and easy registration for future events or learning and grants access to expert advice and valuable resources.
Create a guest account
Enter your details below and create a login
Send me exclusive tips, early access to new launches, and special offers. I can change my mind at any time.
By clicking Get started now you agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics today released its monthly building approvals data for January 2025 for detached houses and multi-units covering all states and territories.
“There were 16,580 residential dwellings approved in the month of January 2025, which is 6.3 per cent higher compared to December 2024,” added Mr Tapang.
“Total dwelling approvals in the three months to January 2025 were 14.0 per cent higher compared to the same quarter in the previous year, with detached approvals up by 6.1 per cent and multi-units up by 27.3 per cent.
“These increases in approvals signal positive momentum heading into the new year, with households slowly returning to the market and building new homes.
“New housing approvals had been strengthening on the back of low levels of unemployment, recovering real wages and ongoing strong population growth, even before the first interest rate cut was delivered.
“The rise in detached house approvals has been geographically dispersed, with Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia driving the national gain.
“Detached house approvals in the three months to January 2025 were up in Western Australia by 29.2 per cent compared to the same time in 2024 in South Australia up by 27.5 per cent, and in Queensland up by 13.9 per cent.
“House approvals in New South Wales fell by 9.5 per cent over the same period because of the high cost of land and delivering new housing, particularly in Sydney.
“Victoria continued to see a flat result, with house approvals down by 0.9 per cent over the same period. This does not bode well for meeting ongoing growth in demand.
“Multi-unit approvals have increased from very weak levels. This needs to double from the 12-year lows of recent years to meet housing targets but constraints on land, construction and investment remain barriers.
“The rise in home building activity will be more evident in states and regions with lower land costs and lower taxes on new homes, while those with higher tax imposts will remain weak.
“Despite modest improvements in housing approvals, Australia continues to face a significant shortfall in housing supply,” concluded Mr Tapang.
HIA is calling on the Australian Government in the lead-up to the Federal Election 2025 to help remove barriers to new housing supply. To find out more about HIA’s Election Imperatives.
“Detached house approvals in the three months to January 2025 were up by 29.2 per cent compared to the previous year in Western Australia, followed by South Australia (+27.5 per cent) and Queensland (+13.9 per cent). The Northern Territory saw a large 86.5 per cent increase over the same period, albeit off historically low levels. The other jurisdictions recorded declines, led by the Australian Capital Territory (-50.4 per cent), followed by New South Wales (-9.5 per cent), Tasmania (-7.0 per cent) and Victoria (-0.9 per cent).
For more information please contact:
Government delays ATO credit card payment changes
The Federal Government has announced that the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will continue to accept credit card payments for tax liabilities until the end of the 2026-27 financial year, delaying changes that were previously due to take effect on 1 December.
Government provides breathing space for builders and tradies on ATO credit card ban
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) welcomes the Federal Government's stepping in and agreeing to delay the Australian Taxation Office's (ATO) proposed ban on credit card payments, providing builders, tradies and suppliers with much-needed breathing space while a longer-term solution is developed.
HIA Victoria not failing housing targets as badly as others is not success
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) says the Victorian results in the HIA National Housing Accord Update released yesterday, while not as poor as some other states, highlight the urgent need for a reset in housing policy after the upcoming state election.
HIA Safety Summit headlines National Safe Work Month
HIA’s annual Safety Summit is being held today in Adelaide (8 October) and will bring together industry leaders, regulators and workplace safety experts, providing practical guidance to help residential builders and tradies create safer worksites and support compliance in an ever-changing world.