The life expectancy gap between Australian men and women continues to narrow with males born today having an estimated life expectancy of 80.5 years, compared with 84.6 years for females, according to the latest figures released from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 

ABS demography director Anthony Grubb said male life expectancy had increased by 0.1 years over the 2014-2016 to 2015-2017 period, and 1.5 years over the past decade and is now the highest on record.

"Australian males can now expect to live 10.8 years longer than the world average of 69.7 years, according to the United Nations 2015-2020 estimates," Mr Grubb said.

"Female life expectancy in 2017 remained the same as the previous year (84.6 years) and compares to the global average of 74.3 years."

Of all Australian states and territories, Victoria recorded the highest male life expectancy (81.3 years), followed by the Australian Capital Territory (81.1 years), New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia (each 80.3 years), Queensland (80.0 years) and Tasmania (78.7 years).

The Australian Capital Territory recorded the highest female life expectancy (85.2 years), followed by Victoria (85.0 years), Western Australia (84.9 years), New South Wales (84.6 years), South Australia (84.5 years), Queensland (84.4 years) and Tasmania (82.9 years).

The Northern Territory (NT) had the lowest life expectancy for both males and females (75.9 years and 79.4 years, respectively). Over the last 10 years, male life expectancy gained the most in the NT (3.5 years), and female life expectancy gained the most in Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory (1.2 years).

In the past 50 years to 2017, male life expectancy in Australia increased by 12.9 years, and female life expectancy by 10.4 years.

"Australians have a higher life expectancy than our counterparts in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the USA," said Mr Grubb.