Seasonally adjusted ABS figures show total dwellings approved rose 15.2 per cent in November to 18,406. The rise was driven by a 34.1 per cent jump in private dwellings excluding houses to 8,463, while private sector house approvals rose 1.3 per cent to 9,458.
Property Council Group Executive Policy and Advocacy Matthew Kandelaars said the data showed what can happen when governments set clear targets and remove friction from the system.
"This is a strong result and it's exactly the direction we need to be moving. National housing targets are having a positive impact because they focus governments on outcomes, not process," Mr Kandelaars said.
"The standout is higher-density approvals. That is where we can add supply at scale and in well-located areas, and it's where the national housing task will be won or lost."
The ABS data showed private dwellings excluding houses approved in November were the highest since June 2018. In original terms, the apartment series rose 63.6 per cent to 5,558 dwellings, which is 44.8 per cent higher than the average over the past twelve months. Queensland and Victoria led the rise in apartment approvals.
Mr Kandelaars said the uplift was welcome but had to be delivered more consistently to meet the National Housing Accord target of 1.2 million homes.
"One good month doesn't solve the housing shortage. While more than 271,000 dwellings have been approved since the start of the National Housing Accord, we need a sustained run rate and a pipeline of feasible projects that can keep moving month after month," he said.
Mr Kandelaars said the next reform priority would be turning approvals into starts and completions by speeding up post-permit processes.
"Planning approval is just the first bottleneck. Too many projects then get stuck waiting for the next set of sign-offs. Power and water connections, utility upgrades, subdivision and titling, certification, and other post-permit steps," Mr Kandelaars said.
"If governments want more homes on the ground sooner, this is where the focus needs to shift. Streamline the post-permit pathway, set timeframes, coordinate utilities, and keep pushing reforms that lift feasibility and delivery," he said.
