South Australia has seen a significant increase in home building approvals, outpacing other states according to recent ABS data. This development is largely attributed to the State Government’s proactive measures to escalate housing supply.
October 2025 witnessed a considerable 12.6 per cent increase in building approvals compared to the previous year, with a total of 14,878 new homes approved. Such a rise is higher when compared against the national figures, where there was a decline of 6.4 per cent since September and a 1.8 per cent decrease from the year prior.
Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Nick Champion MP, shared, “The data demonstrates that housing supply is increasing in South Australia. These numbers demonstrate that industry in South Australia is responding to the national housing crisis.”
When looking at the figures, you can see that approvals for private ‘other’ dwellings, which include apartments, witnessed a remarkable surge, up 117 per cent compared to the same month last year. This boost reflects the growing trend towards higher-density living within the state.
The disparities are even more stark when compared to figures from other states like New South Wales and Victoria, which saw significant decreases in their monthly approval rates by 20.6 per cent and 24.7 per cent respectively.
The industry’s positive reception to South Australia’s housing strategy is echoed by prominent bodies such as the Housing Industry Association and the Business Council of Australia, both of which have lauded the state’s approach as superior within the nation.
Now the Malinauskas Government has committed to further initiatives to catalyse housing development. The proposed $500 million pre-sale guarantee fund aims to spur more apartment developments, especially in the Adelaide CBD. “Our announcement of a pre-sale guarantee fund and partnership with the Airport to increase building heights will supercharge development for more homes in the CBD,” said Champion.
The recent announcement of a $900 million development project for a 700-home, four-tower precinct in Adelaide’s East End is a testament to the ambitious plans set by the state government to tackle urban sprawl and housing scarcity. Champion commented, “We have accelerated land release and we are streamlining approvals to get more homes in the suburbs.”
Overall, the state’s strategic emphasis is not only on expanding vertically but also on broadening the suburban land offerings to accommodate growing population needs. “We have accelerated land release and we are streamlining approvals to get more homes in the suburbs. This City must grow up and out to address housing shortages.”
With a clearly defined path towards enhancing building approvals and expanding housing availability, South Australia sets a notable example for other states dealing with similar issues.
