The latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that excess mortality in Australia is still tracking significantly above normal levels, despite 2023 seeing a major decrease compared to the previous year.
Last year, there were 5.1 percent more deaths than would normally be expected for the period; the previous year, the figure was 11.7 percent.
However, there are wide variations between some of the states and territories.
Both the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory have, by far, the lowest excess death figures, at -1.0 and 1.3 percent, respectively.
Excess Mortality Figures Per Jurisdiction, 2020-23
Source: ABS | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | -3.1 | 1.6 | 11.7 | 5.1 |
New South Wales | -4.2 | 0.3 | 11.5 | 3.3 |
Victoria | -0.9 | 3.7 | 14.0 | 6.3 |
Queensland | -4.3 | 1.1 | 10.6 | 4.6 |
South Australia | -3.1 | 0.5 | 10.0 | 4.8 |
Western Australia | -3.9 | 0.9 | 7.1 | 5.2 |
Tasmania | -5.3 | 3.1 | 10.0 | 10.1 |
Northern Territory | 1.7 | 6.8 | 19.4 | -1.0 |
Australian Capital Territory | -4.3 | -4.0 | 10.4 | 1.3 |
Deaths were significantly lower than expected from the week beginning June 1 to mid-July 2020, typically during the winter months.
“These decreases provide insights into how public health measures put in place to manage the COVID-19 pandemic impacted mortality,” the ABS says.
Excess Mortality by Year, Australia, 2020-23
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Expected deaths | 170,046 | 169,046 | 170,933 | 173,121 |
Actual, observed deaths | 164,805 | 171,823 | 190,955 | 181,865 |
Excess number | -5,241 | 2,775 | 20,022 | 8,744 |
Percentage | -3.1% | 1.6% | 11.7% | 5.1% |
Deaths from/with COVID-19 | 916 | 1,448 | 13,317 | 5,952 |
Percent of deaths, COVID-19 | 0.56% | 0.84% | 6.97% | 3.27% |
The agency does not differentiate between the two categories in the way it presents the data, so The Epoch Times cannot break it down any further.
The government statistician says the coronavirus was the “main contributor” to excess deaths in 2022 and a “key contributor” in 2023, noting that “excess mortality during this period corresponded with peaks in COVID-19 waves.”
As would be expected, higher-than-average excess mortality was most noticeable among older Australians, particularly those aged between 85 and 94—though that group also had the largest reduction in expected mortality in 2020.