Dementia makes up more than one in 10 deaths in Australia for the first time, according to new data cited by multiple outlets, with 19,019 deaths attributed to dementia in 2025. The Australian Bureau of Statistics data also shows dementia has been Australia’s leading cause of death since 2024.
Some coverage focuses alongside this milestone on asthma deaths reaching decade-high levels, while other reports concentrate mainly on dementia’s share of total deaths and its rank among causes. Free Malaysia Today and The West Australian emphasise the “grim milestone” framing and dementia’s position ahead of other major causes such as ischaemic heart disease. The Guardian also adds broader context by pairing the dementia figures with the asthma trend.
