Aborigines dying 20 years younger

Australia’s indigenous Aborigines die about 20 years younger than other Australians, said a report published today.

Most Australians enjoy some of the world’s longest life expectancies, with men born in 2001 expected to live up to 77 years and women up to 82 years, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare said.

However, an Aboriginal man born in 2001 will likely die at 56, while an Aboriginal woman can expect to die at 63.

Aborigines, who comprise 400,000 in Australia’s population of 20 million, are the poorest, least healthiest, and most often jailed group in Australia.