MEDIA RELEASE
12 November 2015	Embargo: 11:30 am (Canberra Time)	123/2015

Life expectancy and death numbers hit historic highs in 2014, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Aussie males and females born today have the highest estimated life expectancy ever recorded in Australia. And the good news is both men and women can expect to celebrate their 80th birthday milestone.

"There are only six other countries worldwide where both men and women have a life expectancy over 80 years," said Beidar Cho from the ABS. "These countries are Japan, Italy, Switzerland, Iceland, Israel and Sweden."

"Australia has a higher life expectancy, at both the male and female level, than many similar countries to ours, such as New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America."

In Australia, male life expectancy at birth rose to 80.3 years in 2014 from 80.1 in 2013 and female life expectancy also increased to 84.4 years from 84.3.

"The two territories tell contrasting stories about mortality in Australia," said Ms Cho. "In 2014, the Australian Capital Territory had the highest life expectancy for both males and females while the Northern Territory had the lowest."

The national number of registered deaths rose 4.0 per cent to 153,580 in 2014 from 147,678 in 2013 and is indicative of Australia's growing and ageing population.

Further details are in Deaths, Australia, 2014 (cat. no. 3302.0). State, territory and sub-state information is also available for free download from the ABS website www.abs.gov.au

Media notes:

• Standardised death rates enable the comparison of death rates between populations with different age structures by relating them to a standard population (currently, the age distribution of all persons in the Australian population as at 30 June 2001).
• When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
• Media requests and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070.

DEATHS, SUMMARY STATISTICS - Selected years Average annual change (%) Annual change (%) 2004(a) 2013(b) 2014(c) 2004-2014 2013-2014 Australia(d) Deaths no. 132 508 147 678 153 580 1.5 4.0 Infant mortality rate(e) rate 4.7 3.6 3.4 Standardised death rate(f) rate 6.4 5.4 5.5 Life expectancy at birth - Males years 78.1 80.1 80.3 Life expectancy at birth - Females years 83.0 84.3 84.4 Median age at death years 79.5 81.7 81.8 New South Wales Deaths no. 46 440 50 396 52 320 1.2 3.8 Infant mortality rate(e) rate 4.6 3.7 3.5 Standardised death rate(f) rate 6.5 5.4 5.5 Life expectancy at birth - Males years 78.0 80.0 80.2 Life expectancy at birth - Females years 83.3 84.3 84.4 Median age at death years 79.7 82.0 82.1 Victoria Deaths no. 32 522 35 916 38 042 1.6 5.9 Infant mortality rate(e) rate 4.5 2.9 2.8 Standardised death rate(f) rate 6.2 5.1 5.3 Life expectancy at birth - Males years 78.5 80.7 81.1 Life expectancy at birth - Females years 83.3 84.7 84.7 Median age at death years 80.2 82.7 82.5 Queensland Deaths no. 24 514 27 901 28 704 1.6 2.9 Infant mortality rate(e) rate 5.2 4.6 4.4 Standardised death rate(f) rate 6.6 5.5 5.5 Life expectancy at birth - Males years 77.8 79.6 79.9 Life expectancy at birth - Females years 82.9 84.1 84.2 Median age at death years 78.9 80.2 80.7 South Australia Deaths no. 11 629 12 804 13 262 1.3 3.6 Infant mortality rate(e) rate 3.2 3.2 2.6 Standardised death rate(f) rate 6.3 5.5 5.5 Life expectancy at birth - Males years 78.0 80.0 80.1 Life expectancy at birth - Females years 83.1 84.3 84.3 Median age at death years 80.2 82.7 83.0 Western Australia Deaths no. 11 184 13 414 13 787 2.1 2.8 Infant mortality rate(e) rate 3.9 2.4 2.5 Standardised death rate(f) rate 6.0 5.2 5.2 Life expectancy at birth - Males years 78.6 80.3 80.5 Life expectancy at birth - Females years 83.3 84.8 84.9 Median age at death years 78.7 80.4 80.3 Tasmania Deaths no. 3 892 4 444 4 476 1.4 0.7 Infant mortality rate(e) rate 3.6 3.6 5.2 Standardised death rate(f) rate 7.1 6.5 6.4 Life expectancy at birth - Males years 76.7 78.8 78.8 Life expectancy at birth - Females years 81.8 82.6 82.5 Median age at death years 79.3 80.9 80.7 Northern Territory Deaths no. 893 1 097 1 168 2.7 6.5 Infant mortality rate(e) rate 10.7 7.4 5.2 Standardised death rate(f) rate 8.7 8.4 8.1 Life expectancy at birth - Males years 72.3 74.9 75.4 Life expectancy at birth - Females years 78.0 79.2 78.9 Median age at death years 57.1 64.2 63.3 Australian Capital Territory Deaths no. 1 423 1 700 1 813 2.5 6.6 Infant mortality rate(e) rate 6.9 2.9 2.3 Standardised death rate(f) rate 5.7 4.8 4.9 Life expectancy at birth - Males years 79.7 81.7 81.4 Life expectancy at birth - Females years 83.9 85.0 85.2 Median age at death years 77.6 80.5 81.7 (a) Death rates for 2004 have been calculated using revised and recast 30 June 2004 estimated resident population based on results from the 2011 Census and are final. (b) Death rates for 2013 have been calculated using revised 30 June 2013 estimated resident population based on results from the 2011 Census. (c) Death rates for 2014 have been calculated using preliminary 30 June 2014 estimated resident population based on results from the 2011 Census. (d) Includes Other Territories. (e) Infant deaths per 1,000 live births. (f) Deaths per 1,000 standard population. Standardised death rates use the age distribution of total persons in the Australian population at 30 June 2001 as the standard population.