MAIN POINTS

In 2013‑14, 24,102 proposals received foreign investment approval, compared with 12,731 in 2012‑13 (the sectoral breakdown below excludes 89 reorganisations).

The real estate sector had a significant increase in approvals with 23,428 approvals in 2013‑14, compared with 12,025 approvals in 2012‑13.

Other sectors decreased in approvals with 585 approvals in 2013‑14, compared with 622 approvals in 2012‑13.

Approvals in 2013‑14 were given for $167.4 billion of proposed investment. This represented a 23.4 per cent increase on the $135.7 billion in proposed investment approved in 2012‑13.

In real estate, approved proposed investment was $74.6 billion in 2013‑14, compared with $51.9 billion in 2012‑13. Proposed investment in commercial real estate increased, from $34.8 billion in 2012‑13 to $39.9 billion in 2013‑14. Proposed investment in residential real estate also increased, from $17.2 billion in 2012‑13 to $34.7 billion in 2013‑14.

In other sectors, approved proposed investment in 2013‑14 was $92.8 billion, an increase of 10.7 per cent compared with the $83.8 billion approved in 2012‑13.

In 2013‑14, three proposals were rejected (compared with no rejected proposals in 2012‑13). Of the three proposals rejected, two related to residential real estate and the other related to the rejection in November 2013 of Archer Daniel Midlands Company’s proposed takeover of GrainCorp Limited.

The real estate sector was the largest destination by value, with approvals in 2013‑14 of $74.6 billion (an increase of $22.7 billion from 2012‑13). In 2013‑14, the other major sectors were: services (excluding tourism), with approved proposed investment of $53.4 billion (an increase of $27.5 billion); and mineral exploration and development, with approved proposed investment of $22.4 billion (a decrease of $23.1 billion).

For the first time China ($27.7 billion) was the largest source country for approved proposed investment in 2013‑14, overtaking the United States ($17.5 billion). Other major source countries of approved proposed investment in 2013‑14 were Canada ($15.4 billion), Malaysia ($7.2 billion) and Singapore ($7.1 billion).

（Resource：The Foreign Investment Review Board www.firb.gov.au）