Private house approvals in Australia rose by 2.8% month-on-month to 10,537 units in May 2026, rebounding from a 0.4% decline in April and marking the strongest monthly increase since September 2025. The result was in line with preliminary estimates and was driven by solid gains in Western Australia (9.9%), New South Wales (7.8%), and Victoria (2.2%), which more than offset declines in Queensland (-3.6%) and South Australia (-1.0%). On an annual basis, approvals increased by 13.2%, the fastest growth rate since September 2024 and an acceleration from the 8.3% rise recorded in April.