Australia’s building approvals climbed 8.10% year-on-year in January 2026, signaling a strong rebound in construction intentions after a subdued end to 2025. The latest figures, updated on 3 March 2026, show a marked acceleration from December 2025, when approvals were up just 0.40% compared with a year earlier.
The data, measured on a year-over-year basis, indicate that January’s performance reflects a much stronger pipeline of planned residential and non-residential projects than in the same month a year ago. In contrast, December’s near-flat growth suggested that momentum in the sector had been waning at the close of 2025.
This turnaround in January underscores a potentially improving outlook for Australia’s construction industry at the start of 2026, with the step-up from 0.40% to 8.10% year-on-year growth highlighting renewed activity after a period of relative stagnation. Investors and policymakers will be watching upcoming releases to see whether this surge in approvals can be sustained over the coming months.
