Tasmanian construction boom led by government, power sectors

The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated the value of engineering construction work done in Tasmania in the March quarter was $388 million in real trend terms.

That was 24 per cent stronger than the March quarter of 2018.

All other states and territories went backwards on that measure.

Tasmanian March quarter spending was up by 3.7 per cent from the December quarter, which was also the nation's strongest performance.

Infrastructure Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the $388 million quarterly spend was the highest ever recorded in Tasmania in the ABS series, which went back to 1987.

He said more than $1.4 billion worth of work was done in the year to the March quarter.

He said the data showed the engineering and construction sector was continuing to ramp up "to deliver on the government's ambitious $3.6 billion infrastructure plan over the next four years".

State Treasury analysis showed the electricity sector accounted for 32.1 per cent of the value of the work done in the year to the March quarter.

That was followed by transport infrastructure (28.7 per cent) and water and sewerage (18.7 per cent).

Treasury estimated 62.9 per cent of the activity was due to public sector spending (as opposed to the private sector).

In the March quarter, Treasury said, the value of engineering construction work yet to be done was estimated to have fallen by 9.2 per cent ($102.5 million) to $1.01 billion, compared to the previous quarter.

Treasury said the total was 30.9 per cent more than the level of a year earlier.

"This increase is attributable to a significant increase in work to be done by the private sector within the electricity industry," Treasury said.