The latest figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that residential construction activity continued to improve in the final quarter of 2012.

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has welcomed the news of a delicate recovery in the sector.

“Taken with other data published recently, these figures indicate that a tentative recovery may be underway in the residential construction market,” said HIA Senior Economist Shane Garrett.

“Total residential building volumes in the final quarter of 2012 were up by 1.7 per cent on the previous quarter. This was driven by rather brisk growth of 2.2 per cent in new house volumes, the cornerstone of the sector,”