3 February 2021

Homebuilder drives approvals to record levels

HomeBuilder is helping build a stronger Australia in 2021 by delivering effective support and stimulus to protect the jobs of the one million Australians employed in the construction sector.

Today’s Australian Bureau of Statistics building approvals data for December 2020 shows approvals for private sector houses have risen for the sixth consecutive month to the highest level on record.

In December, approvals for private sector houses rose 15.8 per cent rise with 13,638 approvals.

Building approvals for private sector houses in December 2020 are up 55.6 per cent compared to the same time last year.

These results are a further measure of HomeBuilder’s success in helping Australians get into a home of their own and supporting tradies’ jobs, both key priorities of the Morrison Government.

These record results follow the Housing Industry Association’s recent New Home Sale report for December 2020, which showed;

  • New home sales rose by 91.8 per cent across the nation compared to November 2020.
  • December’s new home sales were the second strongest month in the 20 years of HIA’s survey, exceeded only by March 2001.
  • Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the HIA found national new home sales in 2020 increased by 32.5 per cent compared to 2019.

HomeBuilder is helping build a stronger Australia in 2021 with Treasury estimating it will now support up to $18 billion of residential construction projects.

Every additional building approval and every addition home sale means more work for our tradies and activity in our economy at a time it needs it most.

The extension of HomeBuilder until 31 March 2021 also ensures there will be a steady pipeline of construction activity through to 2022 to lock in this momentum for the construction sector.

More information on the HomeBuilder programme can be found on the Treasury website.