3106.0 - Demography News, Nov 2010  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 16/11/2010   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

RELEASE OF DEATHS, AUSTRALIA, 2009 (CAT. NO. 3302.0)


Deaths, Australia, 2009 (cat. no. 3302.0) was released on 10 November 2010. This product presents statistics on deaths and mortality for Australia, states and territories, and sub-state regions based on calendar year of registration data. Data presented in this publication includes information on characteristics of the deceased such as place of usual residence, age at death, sex, Indigenous status and country of birth. Information is also provided on infant deaths, life expectancy and death rates. The release of regional deaths data has been deferred until 9 December 2010.

There were nearly 141,000 deaths registered in Australia in 2009, which is lower than the number of deaths registered in 2008 (143,900).

In 2009, the standardised death rate (which eliminates the effect of the changing age structure of the population) was the lowest on record at 5.7 deaths per 1000 people. In 1989, the standardised death rate was 9.1 deaths per 1000 people.

The infant mortality rate increased slightly, from 4.1 deaths per 1,000 births in 2008 to 4.3 in 2009. Infant mortality rates are somewhat volatile due to the relatively small number of infant deaths registered.

As well as death rates being the lowest on record, life expectancy has continued to increase in 2009. Assuming current death rates, a boy born today can expect to live an average of 79.3 years, while a girl can expect to live to 83.9 years.

The release of state and territory life tables for 2007-2009 (cat. nos. 3302.1.55.001 to 3302.8.55.001) has been deferred until 8 December 2010.

Further information on deaths and mortality at the national and the state and territory levels, including information on deaths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, is available from the ABS website.