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Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Community Insights
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Life expectancy and mortality

Life expectancy at birth for Indigenous Australians is 75.6 years for females and 71.6 years for males
The rate of potentially avoidable deaths among Indigenous Australians fell by 13% between 2006 and 2019
Cancers are currently the leading cause of death among Indigenous Australians

Wayne Quilliam Photography

Overview

Life expectancy is a widely used summary measure of population health. Although Australia’s national life expectancy is high compared with that of other countries, there are significant disparities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians.

You can also find regional statistics in the Regional overview dashboard; search for your community and select the relevant topic.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a number of direct and indirect health effects in Australia. For more information on the impacts of COVID-19, and as a result the data presented throughout this topic, please refer to Causes of death, Australia (ABS 2022a).

Key facts
71.6 years

Life expectancy at birth for Indigenous males in 2015–2017

75.6 years

Life expectancy at birth for Indigenous females in 2015–2017

61.3 years

Median age at death for Indigenous Australians in 2020

60%

of deaths among Indigenous Australians aged 0–74 were potentially avoidable in 2015–2019

13.9 per 1,000

Death rate for Indigenous Australians in Remote and Very remote areas in 2020 (age-standardised)

Indigenous deaths in 2015–2019
Select a state to view more statistics

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