The total number of dwellings approved in Australia rose 15.2% in November 2025 to 18,406, according to seasonally adjusted data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The increase was largely driven by a 34.1% jump in approvals for private dwellings excluding houses, following a 13.5% fall in October 2025.
Approvals for private sector houses also rose modestly, up 1.3% to 9,458 dwellings, 3.2% higher than a year ago, with New South Wales and Queensland leading the gains at 4.3% and 3.9% respectively, while South Australia saw a 3.7% decline.
Apartment approvals in particular surged, with 5,558 dwellings approved in original terms, marking a 63.6% increase from October 2025 and the highest level since June 2018; Queensland and Victoria accounted for the bulk of the growth, with 1,878 and 1,496 apartments approved, respectively.
