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incorrectly. There is some evidence that under-identification of Indigenous deaths isprimarily caused by Indigenous people being incorrectly recorded as notIndigenous, rather than from their Indigenous status not being recorded at all. TheABS suggests accuracy of Indigenous status data varies with how the information iscollected (for example, by surveys or through administrative data) and whoprovides the information (for example, the person of interest, a relative, a healthprofessional or an official) and other factors that influence data collected for deathcertificates (ABS 2006).Although the total proportion of deaths for which Indigenous status is not stated isquite small (1.2 per cent), comparison with population projections based on Censusdata suggests that many Indigenous deaths are incorrectly recorded as non-Indigenous. The implied coverage of Indigenous deaths, for the period 2001 to2005, ranged from 92 per cent in the NT, to 45 per cent and 31 per cent in NSW andVictoria respectively (ABS 2006). 5 Consequently, in this Report, Indigenous infantmortality data are only presented for NSW, Queensland, WA, SA, and the NT.Figure 5.2.1 Indigenous infant mortalityNSW Qld WA SA NTRate per 1000 live births25201510501997-99 1998-00 1999-01 2000-02 2001-03 2002-04 2003-05Source: ABS (2006), Deaths Australia, 2005 (and previous issues); table 5A.2.1.• Between 1997–1999 and 2003–2005, Indigenous infant mortality fell in NSW,Queensland, WA and the NT. Because of the incomplete identification ofIndigenous deaths and as the rates are based on small numbers of deaths, whichfluctuate from year to year, and because changes in some states are small, trendsshould be interpreted with caution (figure 5.2.1).• Infant mortality rates for all persons (Indigenous plus non-Indigenous) also fellover the same time periods (table 5A.2.1 and ABS (2006)).5 Coverage ratios for Tasmania and the ACT are not calculated due to small numbers.5.14 OVERCOMINGINDIGENOUSDISADVANTAGE 2007