The number of dwellings approvals in Australia slumped 9.7 percent month-over-month in July 2019, after a downwardly revised 0.8 percent fall in the previous month and below market expectations of a flat reading. It was the biggest monthly decline in building permits in four months, as approvals for private sector dwellings excluding houses dropped further (-18.4 percent vs -4.6 percent in June) and those for houses fell (-3.3 percent vs 0.2 percent). Among the states and territories, total dwelling approvals decreased in both Victoria (24.3 percent) and New South Wales (17.5 percent), but advanced in South Australia (34.8 percent), Tasmania (21.5 percent), Queensland (10.9 percent) and Western Australia (5.8 percent). Building Permits in Australia averaged 0.29 percent from 1983 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 31.60 percent in May of 2012 and a record low of -21.80 percent in November of 2002.