Construction work done rises 2.3%, Home building costs could drop

fm_yy

Construction work done rises 2.3%
http://au.biz.yahoo.com/080528/2/1rg2u.html

Total construction work done in Australia rose 2.3 per cent in the March quarter in volume terms, seasonally adjusted.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said total construction work done was valued at $29.968 billion, compared with an upwardly revised $29.300 billion in the December quarter.

The median market forecast was for a rise of 2.0 per cent.

The ABS said total building work done in the March quarter fell to $16.445 billion, seasonally adjusted, from an upwardly revised $16.450 billion in the December quarter.

Engineering work done rose to $13.524 billion from $12.850 billion.



Home building costs could drop
http://au.biz.yahoo.com/080528/31/1rg1o.html

It could soon be cheaper to build a home in Tasmania.

The Housing Indemnity Amendment Bill has received all party support to pass the House of Assembly.

It means building indemnity insurance, which can add several thousand dollars to the cost, will no longer be required.

However, Liberal MHA Peter Gutwein says the Bill is yet to pass the upper house and people should seek advice before building.

"The bill will be before the upper house when they resume in a couple of weeks time," Mr Gutwein said.

"Subject to them supporting the legislation, as it was unanimously in the lower house, there will no longer be a need in Tasmania for people to take out housing indemnity insurance," he said.