YEAR OF OCCURRENCE
The majority of this publication contains deaths data based on year of registration. Although most deaths are registered in the year in which they occur, some deaths are not registered until the following year or later.
Deaths data presented by year of occurrence in this publication are therefore considered preliminary and are subject to change as deaths that occurred up to, and including, 31 December 2010, but have not yet been registered by this date, are registered in subsequent years.
Deaths registered in the same year as they occurred
The likelihood of a death being registered in a year following its occurrence is substantially greater for deaths which occur near the end of the calendar year. Of the 143,500 deaths registered in 2010, 94.3% (135,300 deaths) occurred in 2010 and the remainder (5.7%, or 8,200 deaths) occurred in 2009 or earlier years (the majority of which occurred in December 2009). See paragraphs 26 and 27 of the Explanatory Notes.
Monthly occurrence of deaths
Deaths tend to occur more often in some months than others. Over the period 2007-2009, an average of 141,000 deaths occurred each year in Australia. The largest numbers of deaths, on average, occurred in the winter months of July (6,900 male deaths and 6,600 female deaths) and August (6,800 male deaths and 6,700 female deaths). In comparison, the smallest numbers of deaths on average (5,300 male deaths and 4,800 female deaths) occurred in the summer month of February (noting that February is also the shortest month).
Month of death -
Average of 2007-2009(a)
This page last updated 7 November 2012