South Australia has recorded its strongest annual run of home approvals in more than four decades, as the State Government's housing reforms continue to drive growth across the state.

According to ABS Building Approvals data released yesterday, 1,471 dwellings were approved in South Australia in May 2026 - the highest monthly total since March 2021, at the height of the COVID-era HomeBuilder stimulus.

This represents a month-on-month rise of 10.9 per cent.

In the 12 months to May 2026, 15,176 homes were approved in South Australia, a 5.8 per cent increase on the 14,344 approvals recorded in the year to May 2025.

The trajectory shows a significant jump in building approvals following the release of the Premier’s Housing Roadmap in 2024, which set out a major policy effort, from streamlined planning approvals to record infrastructure investment, to get more homes built for South Australians in the right locations, faster

This annual total is the highest recorded in South Australia since 15,299 approvals in the year to May 1985, more than 40 years ago.

South Australia continues to outperform the nation, with approvals rising 10.9 per cent month-on-month, while approvals fell in Queensland (-8.8%), Victoria (-3.0%) and Western Australia (-1.3%).



This result comes despite broader economic headwinds, including cost pressures on the building sector linked to rising fuel prices.

Building commencement and completion data will be released next week. Continued growth in approvals provides a strong lead indicator for the sector's capacity to help deliver the State Government's target of 13,500 home completions annually.