Building approvals fall in WA

The Australian Bureau of Statistics found dwelling approvals in April fell by 0.9 per cent in Western Australia, against a 0.6 per cent slump nationally.

In its latest tranche of building approvals data, the ABS found a drop of 0.6 per cent in the national trend of approved dwellings and a fall of 0.3 per cent when seasonally adjusted.

In WA, the ABS recorded a rise in trend estimate at 2.7 per cent with 1,545 dwellings approved in April.

However, when seasonally adjusted, the ABS found WA had a 0.9 per cent fall in total dwelling approvals of 1,550 units.

The ABS reported 13,078 dwelling units were approved in the country in April, when seasonally adjusted.

ABS construction statistics head Daniel Rossi said approvals for private houses nationally fell by 1.6 per cent.

“Approvals for private sector dwellings excluding houses also fell 1.1 per cent in April in seasonally adjusted terms,” he said.

Approvals for private sector houses rose in WA by 3.5 per cent but decreased in NSW by 5 per cent, Victoria by 2 per cent, Queensland by 0.2 per cent, and South Australia by 0.1 per cent, the ABS reported.

The ABS also reported a fall in the value of total building approvals, of 3.8 per cent, after a 13.8 per cent increase the month before.

In March, the ABS reported a 2.7 per cent rise in total number of dwellings approved in the country.