Thousands more Aussies dying as ‘excess deaths’ rise

Thousands more Australians are dying amid a concerning surge in excess deaths, and wild theories are whirling as people demand to know why.

Thousands more Australians are dying amid a concerning surge in excess deaths, and conspiracy theories are whirling as people demand to know what caused the spike.

Last year, 25,000 more Aussies died compared to historical averages, bringing the nation’s death rate past 190,000. It was a surge of about 15 per cent compared to baseline mortality – normal variation in the excess death rate is only about 1 or 2 per cent.

The death toll is evidently disturbing, but the federal government recently voted down an inquiry into the reasons behind the increase.

Critics have accused politicians of ignoring the issue as theories swirl on both sides, with some arguing the excess deaths point to a need for more Covid-19 restrictions and others claiming they can be chalked up to vaccines.

Death rates in 2022, compared to 2019, 2020 and 2021. Picture: ABS

What is causing Australia’s excess deaths?

So, what are the facts?

In 2022, Australians died at a rate not seen since World War II, according to the final mortality data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, released last week.

It was an excess mortality rate of 15 per cent – higher than the 12 per cent previously estimated by the Actuaries Institute.

The majority of the excess deaths were from Covid-19, the ABS said. More than 10,000 Australians died due to the disease and another 3000 “with” the disease, making it the deadliest year for Covid-19 in Australia on record.

Deaths from cancer were up by 5 per cent, deaths from dementia were up by 15 per cent and deaths from diabetes were up by a staggering 19 per cent. There were also minor increases in deaths due to heart disease and respiratory illnesses.

It was a reality about which many health professionals warned while Australian cities were emerging from lockdown.

In September 2021, Cancer Australia published a report noting that biopsies, scans and surgeries for the illness had plummeted, meaning that up to 20,000 cases may have been missed at the critical early detection stage.

The age-standardised mortality rate, too, painted a less dire picture. That rate, which considers mortality alongside Australia’s ageing population, was 498.4 deaths per 100,000 people – 5.8% higher than the baseline average rate of 471.2 deaths per 100,000 people.

“We recorded a significant drop in deaths in 2020, and that drop was most notable in people dying with or from respiratory diseases (e.g. influenza and pneumonia),” a spokesperson for the ABS told news.com.au.

“It is likely that efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including increased focus on personal hygiene and social distancing, would have also limited the spread of these other respiratory diseases.

“We believe some of the higher mortality we saw in 2022 has been influenced by that lower mortality rate in 2020, which was most noticeable in older age groups (85+). This concept is referred to as ‘mortality deficit’ and essentially means that deaths that were expected to happen in 2020 have instead happened in 2021 or 2022.”

A total of 25,000 more Aussies died in 2022 than is typical for a year.

Calls for an inquiry

The jump in deaths led to a Senate motion two weeks ago, sponsored by Victorian United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet, to hold an inquiry. The motion was voted down by crossbench Senators.

Queensland Liberal National Party Senator Gerard Rennick, who has frequently questioned the safety of Covid-19 vaccines, spoke in support of the motion, saying Australians “deserve an inquiry”.

Such a surge in deaths was a “one in a thousand event”, Senator Rennick said.

Infectious disease researcher Brendan Crabb, meanwhile, argued in an op-ed for the Burnet Institute this week that the excess deaths called for tighter policy on Covid-19.

“Australia is very unlikely to face Covid reality and to change tack,” Professor Crabb wrote.

“What will it take for us to see that our strategy, one that promotes infection, is wrong?”

Many of the deaths are attributable to missed scans and biopsies that meant serious diseases went undetected.

On Wednesday, Sydney radio icon Ben Fordham joined the calls for a probe, saying the government’s refusal to conduct one was fuelling conspiracy theories.

“Sadly, people in power don’t want to talk about it,” the 2GB host said on air.

“Does it have something to do with our one-track focus on coronavirus and other diseases and illnesses that were forced into the back seat while we fought off Covid?”

Fordham said that, without an inquiry, the issue of excess deaths will be “weaponised”.

“You have lockdown alarmists demanding a return to tough restrictions, and others claiming it’s all linked to the Covid vaccine,” he said.

“As we know, Australians won’t cop (more restrictions).”

The Therapeutic Goods Administration has received reports of more than 900 deaths that occurred after vaccination in Australia. After examination, it determined that only 14 of those deaths were linked to the jab.

Fordham criticised the agency for what he said was limited transparency as to what is considered a death linked to the Covid-19 vaccine.

“It must be said, the TGA doesn’t display a lot of transparency on this issue,” he told listeners. “We’ve actually had private briefings with them and trying to get straight answers is a bit like pulling teeth.”