CHOICE OF METHOD
Since the 2005-2007 issue of this publication, an improvement has been made to the method of calculating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life tables at the Australia level. The method now takes age-specific identification rates into account when calculating the underidentification adjustment. For more information see Chapter 3: Data linkage to derive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths identification rates.
This method could not be used for state and territory life tables due to insufficient sample from the Post Enumeration Survey to accurately calculate age-specific identification rates. The estimates for New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory were therefore calculated without an age-specific adjustment, and followed the same methodology that was used for the 2005-2007 life tables. Due to the different methodologies, life expectancy estimates for these states and one territory are not directly comparable with the headline estimates for Australia, which used an age-specific adjustment. Comparable Australia level life tables have been calculated without an age-specific adjustment to enable national, state and territory and remoteness area comparisons.
These methods are very similar and both have two key features. First, the use of data linking enables direct calculation of identification rates. Second, by aligning the deaths data to the population estimates derived from the 2011 Census and Post Enumeration Survey the methodology ensures consistency between the numerator (that is, estimates of deaths) and the denominator (estimates of population at risk).
For completeness, a number of alternative approaches to adjust for underidentification of Indigenous status in deaths data and the resulting life expectancy estimates are presented in Appendix 3: Alternative approaches to adjust deaths. For the reasons outlined in Appendix 3, in particular the need for consistency between the numerator and denominator, these methods were not adopted.
Life tables for New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Australia and life tables for Australia are presented in Chapter 4: Life tables. Due to the relatively small number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, it is not currently possible to construct reliable individual life tables for these states and territory.
Life expectancy estimates in this publication refer to the average number of additional years a person of a given age and sex might expect to live if the age/sex-specific death rates for 2010-2012 were to continue throughout his/her lifetime.
Life expectancy may be compiled for any particular age or age group, thus, life expectancy at birth refers to the average number of years a group of new-born babies could expect to live, if they experienced the 2010-2012 death rates throughout their lifetimes. This does not equate to the number of years of life any one person or group of persons will actually live.
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