Excess Mortality Levels 5 Percent Above Average in Australia, but Falling

Rates of excess mortality in Australia remain above what would normally be expected, a trend which began in 2021. However, 2023’s rate is half that of 2022.

Health workers conduct COVID-19 tests at the Bondi Beach testing clinic in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 28, 2021. Jenny Evans/Getty Images

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.