The seasonally adjusted number of total dwellings approved in Australia dropped 7.2% month-on-month to a 19-month low of 14,564 units in January 2026, confirming preliminary estimates. This followed a 14.9% decline in the previous month. Approvals for private sector dwellings excluding houses continued to drop, though at a slower pace (-24.5% vs -30.7% in December). Meanwhile, permits for private sector houses rose at a slightly softer rate (1.1% vs 1.2%). Regionally, building permits fell in Victoria (-11.0%), South Australia (-9.3%), Queensland (-6.0%) and New South Wales (-5.1%), while increased in Tasmania (14.1%) and Western Australia (13.7%). On an annual basis, dwelling approvals declined 15.7%, the biggest fall since December 2023, reversing a 1.1% rise in the prior month.