Tasmanians have the second lowest life expectancy in the country, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics today.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A baby boy born today in Tasmania could expect to live to 78.3 years, according to the ABS, while a baby girl can expect to live to 82.5 years.
In 2001, Tasmania's life expectancy for males was 70 years and 81.2 years for females, the ABS said.
Only the Northern Territory has lower life expectancy at 74.9 years and 80.5 years respectively, while the Australian Capital Territory boasts the highest at 81 years for males and 84.8 years for females.
Nationally, according to the ABS Deaths, Australia, 2011 publication, the male life expectancy average is 79.7 years and 84.2 years for females.
Tasmania's infant mortality rate has increased since the last figures were released for 2010 from 4.1 infant deaths per 1000 live births in 2010, compared with a rate of 4.5 in 2011.
In 2001, that figure was 6.2 deaths per 1000 births.
The national infant mortality rate for 2011 was 3.8 deaths per 1000 births.
The lowest infant mortality rate in Australia in 2011 was South Australia (2.6 deaths per 1000 live births), while the highest was the Northern Territory at 7.6 - down from 10.7 in 2001.