The five-year relative survival rate for Australians diagnosed with cancer has climbed from 50% to 72% over the past three decades, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) biennial health report card released on Thursday. However, the report also reveals a troubling decline in childhood vaccination rates and rising notifications of preventable diseases such as measles, diphtheria and whooping cough.
Cancer survival improves but diagnosis rates rise in younger adults
The AIHW report shows that while cancer diagnosis rates for people in their 30s and 40s increased between 2000 and 2025, death rates have fallen and survival outcomes have improved for these age groups. AIHW spokesperson Louise Gates stated, “People diagnosed with cancer today are surviving longer than ever before, reflecting advances in diagnosis and treatment.”
Despite these gains, University of Sydney associate professor and health researcher Nicholas Chartres cautioned that more emphasis on prevention is needed. “Once someone gets diagnosed with cancer, their quality of life after is significantly impacted both physically and psychologically,” Chartres said. “This is the main issue with this report: that we’re seeing increased life expectancy and there’s a discussion on treatment, but we’re not looking at preventative measures. This means Australians live longer, but with poor quality of life.”
Preventable disease burden and risk factors
The report indicates that Australia’s population is aging, and chronic conditions now account for the majority of deaths and disease burden. However, one-third of the nation’s disease burden could be prevented or reduced by modifying risk and environmental factors. Chartres highlighted the success of tobacco regulation in driving down smoking rates in the 2000s as a potential model for other areas. “Things like fossil fuels, chemicals, ultra-processed foods that are associated with cancers – we’re not addressing those,” he said. “[But] we can use the same suite of approaches we use with tobacco to protect us.”
Childhood immunisation rates fall, experts concerned
The AIHW report also reveals a concerning drop in childhood immunisation rates. Between September 2020 and September 2025, coverage fell from 95% to 92% for one-year-olds, from 93% to 90% for two-year-olds, and from 95% to 93% for five-year-olds. “While Australia has long maintained high childhood immunisation rates, these recent declines are concerning, particularly given rising notifications rates for measles, diphtheria and whooping cough,” Gates said.
The decline is attributed to practical challenges such as booking appointments and costs, as well as mistrust of healthcare information and concerns over vaccine safety. The downturn has been more pronounced among First Nations children, with vaccine coverage for one-year-olds falling by 3.9% between 2020 and 2025, compared with 2.6% for non-Indigenous children.
Improvements and persistent gaps for First Nations health
There have been some positive trends for First Nations people, including declines in smoking and risky alcohol consumption, reduced disease burden, and expanded Indigenous-specific care. However, more than half of deaths among those under 75 between 2022 and 2024 still stem from potentially avoidable causes.
Australians compared to OECD averages
The report finds that Australians have a higher life expectancy at birth, are less likely to smoke daily but more likely to vape regularly, consume more alcohol on average, and are more likely to live with obesity compared with the OECD average. Mental health conditions are also affecting a growing number of Australians, particularly young people.
