Australia Yearbook - 2001

Chapter 5—Population 149
5.28 SELECTED SUMMARY MEASURES OF MORTALITY
Life expectancy at birth
Registered deaths
Males
Females
Year ended 31 December
no.
Crude death
rate(a)
Infant mortality
rate(b)
years
years
1901 46 330 12.2 103.6 55.2 58.8
1921 54 076 9.9 65.7 59.2 63.3
1933 59 117 8.9 39.5 63.5 67.1
1947 73 468 9.7 28.5 66.1 70.6
1954 81 805 9.1 22.5 67.1 72.8
1961 88 961 8.5 19.5 67.9 74.2
1966 104 521 9.0 18.7 67.6 74.2
1971 110 650 8.7 17.3 67.8 74.5
1976 112 662 8.0 13.8 69.6 76.6
1981 109 003 7.3 10.0 71.2 78.3
1986 114 981 7.2 8.8 72.7 79.2
1990 120 062 7.0 8.2 73.9 80.1
1991 119 146 6.9 7.1 74.4 80.4
1992 123 660 7.1 7.0 74.5 80.4
1993 121 599 6.9 6.1 75.0 80.9
1994 126 692 7.1 5.9 75.0 80.9
1995 125 133 6.9 5.7 75.0 80.8
1996 128 719 7.0 5.8 75.2 81.1
1997 129 350 7.0 5.3 75.6 81.3
1998 127 202 6.8 5.0 75.9 81.5
(a) Per 1,000 population. (b) Per 1,000 live births.
Source: Australian Demographic Statistics (3101.0).
International migration
Overseas migration has always played an
important role in changing Australia’s population.
Between 1994 and 1999, 1.3 million people
arrived in Australia intending to stay for one year
or more (table 5.29). This includes permanent
(settler) arrivals, Australian residents returning
from an overseas trip of 12 months or more, and
overseas visitors intending to stay 12 months or
more in Australia. About 827,000 people left
Australia for overseas on a permanent or long
term basis in five year period June 1994–99,
including Australian residents emigrating or
going overseas for 12 months or more, and
overseas visitors leaving Australia after staying
for 12 months or more.
Because population estimates include permanent
and long-term movers and exclude short-term
movers, adjustments are required for the net
effect of changes in travel intention from
short-term to permanent/long-term and vice
versa. For example, an Australian resident may
state on departure an intention to stay abroad for
less than 12 months (a short term movement).
If this resident remains overseas for 12 months or
more, he or she has changed travel category from
short to long-term and is regarded as a category
jumper. Estimates for category jumping ensure
that the estimated population reflects the
population who are usually resident in Australia.
Over the last 30 years there has been a significant
change in the source countries of permanent
arrivals. In the 1960s the top six countries of birth
represented 81% of all settler arrivals to Australia,
including 51% born in the United Kingdom and
Ireland. In the 1990s, 52% came from the top six
countries, with 12% born in the United Kingdom
and Ireland (table 5.30).
In 1998–99, 84,100 people arrived in Australia
intending to settle. The majority of these (59%)
arrived as part of the Migration Program. Another
10% arrived as part of the Humanitarian Program,
while 29% were eligible to settle in Australia
because of their New Zealand citizenship. The
remaining 1% were in other categories such as
overseas-born children of Australian citizens.