{{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 locationHome approvals rising but structural reforms needed to meet 1.2 million homes
Home approvals rising but structural reforms needed to meet 1.2 million homes
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
The Australian Bureau of Statistics today released its monthly building approvals data for February 2025 for detached houses and multi-units covering all states and territories.
“Home building activity across a number of Australian markets was already improving heading into 2025,” added Mr Devitt.
“Confidence has been improving on the back of strong population growth, near-record low unemployment, and recovering real incomes. Low rental vacancy rates and rising rents were bringing investors back to the market. And even before the RBA’s February rate cut, interest rates had been relatively stable since mid-2023.
“The RBA’s February rate cut will provide a welcome extra boost, but structural reforms are needed to properly address Australia’s housing affordability crisis.
“Medium-to-high density housing activity, in particular, has been around just half its required volumes over the last year, constrained by labour shortages, finance costs and punitive government taxes and regulations.
“This has funnelled improving market conditions back into the detached housing sector, but housing of all types needs to contribute to the Australian government’s target of 1.2 million new homes over five years.
“Reforms are required across multiple policy fronts, including skilled migration, tax, regulation, planning, approvals, land supply and infrastructure provision.
“Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia have been driving the improvement in home building volumes over the last year, while New South Wales and Victoria have been held back by prohibitively high land costs.
“These diverging fortunes are a vivid illustration of the brightest outlooks being dependent on the ability to provide affordable, shovel-ready land, adequately serviced with utilities, transport and other essential infrastructure,” concluded Mr Devitt.
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.
“Home building approvals in the three months to February 2025, in seasonally adjusted terms, were up by 48.4 per cent in South Australia, followed by +30.2 per cent in Western Australia, +28.1 per cent in New South Wales, and +24.1 per cent in Victoria, while Queensland was flat (+0.2 per cent) and Tasmania declined (-3.8 per cent). In original terms, the Northern Territory was more than double (+121.0 per cent) the equivalent quarter last year, while the Australian Capital Territory was down by 25.9 per cent.
For more information please contact:
More land supply to help Tasmania get back on track
HIA has been calling loudly on the State Government to release more land for new housing, as it is a fundamental element in delivering new homes and supporting housing affordability.
Home owner grants boosted in NT
Are you aware of the first home owners grant has been increased until 2026? Did you know grants are also available for existing homeowners when building new homes? Find out the latest on the HomeGrown Territory grant and FreshStart New Homes grant today.
Victorian housing lags the smaller states
“Victoria is behind Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia in HIA’s latest Housing Scorecard, reflecting a dramatic change in fortunes over the last five years,” stated HIA Executive Director Victoria, Keith Ryan.
Cost-of Living Focused 2025/26 Victorian Budget Misses Opportunity to Boost Victorian Home Building
This year’s State Budget has largely missed the opportunity to improve the environment for home building and contains negligible measures to increase housing supply, address housing affordability and lower the costs facing new home builders.