MEDIA RELEASE
27 October 2016	Embargo: 11:30 am (Canberra Time)	112/2016

Life expectancy hit a new high in 2015, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

"Babies born today have the highest estimated life expectancy ever recorded in Australia," said Beidar Cho, ABS Director of Demography.

"Male life expectancy at birth reached 80.4 years in 2015, increasing from 80.3 in 2014. Female life expectancy also increased to 84.5 years in 2015 from 84.4 in the previous year.

"In 2013-2015, the male and female combined life expectancy at birth estimate for Australia was 82.4 years. This was 11.9 years higher than the world average of 70.5 years in 2010-2015," said Ms Cho.

In 2015, the Australian Capital Territory led the way, recording the highest life expectancy for both males and females, 81.2 years and 85.3 years respectively.

The Northern Territory recorded the lowest life expectancy of 75.7 years for males and 78.5 years for females.

"For both men and women, Australia has a higher life expectancy than similar countries such as Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the USA," said Ms Cho.

Further details are in Life Tables, States, Territories and Australia, 2013-2015 (cat. no. 3302.0.55.001). State, territory and sub-state information is also available for free download from the ABS website https://www.abs.gov.au.

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LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH, STATES, TERRITORIES AND AUSTRALIA - Selected years Change Change 2005 2014 2015 2005-2015 2014-2015 Australia(a) Males years 78.5 80.3 80.4 1.9 0.1 Females years 83.3 84.4 84.5 1.2 0.1 New South Wales Males years 78.5 80.2 80.4 1.9 0.2 Females years 83.3 84.4 84.6 1.3 0.2 Victoria Males years 79.0 81.1 81.1 2.1 0.0 Females years 83.6 84.7 84.7 1.1 0.0 Queensland Males years 78.3 79.9 80.0 1.7 0.1 Females years 83.2 84.2 84.3 1.1 0.1 South Australia Males years 78.1 80.1 80.3 2.2 0.2 Females years 83.4 84.3 84.4 1.0 0.1 Western Australia Males years 78.8 80.5 80.5 1.7 0.0 Females years 83.8 84.9 85.0 1.2 0.1 Tasmania Males years 77.2 78.8 78.9 1.7 0.1 Females years 82.1 82.5 82.8 0.7 0.3 Northern Territory Males years 72.5 75.4 75.7 3.2 0.3 Females years 78.2 78.9 78.5 0.3 -0.4 Australian Capital Territory Males years 79.9 81.4 81.2 1.3 -0.2 Females years 84.0 85.2 85.3 1.3 0.1 (a) Includes Other Territories.