IN THIS ISSUE


ABOUT THIS ISSUE

This release brings together statistics on deaths and mortality in Australia. Data refers to deaths registered during the calendar year shown, unless otherwise stated. State or territory relates to state or territory of usual residence, unless otherwise stated.

RANDOMISED DATA

To protect confidentiality, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has adopted a technique to randomly adjust cells with small values. Cells with a value of zero have not been affected by this randomisation. As a result, sums of components may not add exactly to totals. The technique has been applied to all data issued in this release with the exception of median age calculations and any sub-state data. These very minor adjustments allow for a greater amount of data to be released, and as they are small, do not affect the utility of the data.

CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE

Revisions to data: This issue contains revisions to the previously published estimated resident population (ERP) and resulting death rates for 2013 and 2014 for the following data cubes:

• Data cube 3: Deaths, Summary, Statistical Area Level 4, 2010 to 2015
• Data cube 4: Deaths, Summary, Statistical Area Level 2, 2010 to 2015
• Data cube 5: Deaths, Summary, Local Government Areas, 2010 to 2015
• Data cube 6: Deaths, Summary, Remoteness Areas, 2010 to 2015
• Data cube 7: Deaths, Indigenous status, Summary, Remoteness Areas, Australia 2011 to 2015

ABS.Stat Datasets: The ABS has continued to publish deaths data in ABS.Stat datasets in this release. These datasets were first published on 6 July 2016 as additional information in Deaths, Australia, 2014. They enable access to time series data that is searchable, flexible and dynamic. The datasets replaced a number of data cubes that were previously issued in this release. With the exception of median age at death data, all information presented in the datasets is based on randomised data. As a result, there may be small differences to numbers and rates when compared with previously released information. For further information refer to ABS.Stat - Beta: Web Browser User Guide, 2014 (cat. no. 1407.0.55.001).

Data cubes: A number of data cubes previously issued in this release have been discontinued. This information is now available from the newly introduced ABS.Stat datasets, see above.

Life tables: Commencing with this release, life table information will no longer be released in Deaths, Australia (cat. no. 3302.0). Instead, Life tables will be published on 27 October 2016 in Life Tables, States, Territories and Australia, 2013-2015 (cat. no. 3302.0.55.001).

Births 2015: Limited births information registered in 2015 is included in this release. This is to enable the calculation and release of infant mortality rates for 2015. Detailed births and fertility data for 2015 will be released on 8 November 2016 in Births, Australia, 2015 (cat. no. 3301.0).

2015 POPULATIONS USED IN THIS RELEASE

All ERPs for 30 June 2015 (preliminary) used in this release are based on the results of the 2011 Census and are as follows:

• State, Territory and Australia level ERP (preliminary status), released in Australian Demographic Statistics, June Quarter, 2015 (cat. no. 3101.0) issued on 17 December 2015.
• ERP by Country of Birth for Australia (preliminary status), released in Migration, Australia, 2014-15 (cat. no. 3412.0) issued on 30 March 2016.
• Sub-state ERP (preliminary status), released in Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2015 (cat. no. 3235.0) issued on 18 August 2016.

FUTURE CHANGES

Norfolk Island: From 1 July 2016 the Norfolk Island Legislation Amendment ACT 2015 and subsequent related Acts enable the Australian Government to resume responsibility for administering the External Territory of Norfolk Island following a period of self-government since 1979. Currently, the scope of death statistics excludes deaths occurring on Norfolk Island. Due to the small numbers involved, deaths occurring on Norfolk Island will be included in the Australia total in future issues of this release.

ROUNDING

Calculations as shown in the commentary sections of this release are based on unrounded figures. Calculations undertaken by data users using rounded figures may differ from those released. Where figures have been rounded in tables, discrepancies may occur between sums of component items and totals.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The efforts of Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages to improve the data quality, coverage and timeliness of death registration information, processes and systems are noted and valued by the ABS.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Where necessary, tables in this release have had small values suppressed or randomised to protect confidentiality. As a result, sums of components may not add exactly to totals. These very minor adjustments allow for a greater amount of data to be released, and as they are small, do not affect the utility of the data.

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.