However, overall rates of death directly related to alcohol have decreased, according to the 2017 ABS Causes of Death statistics. 

There were 1,366 alcohol-induced deaths in 2017, with those deaths most commonly occurring in males aged in their early 60s and caused by alcoholic liver diseases. 

Figures show that 5.1 deaths per 100,000 occurred in Australia in 2017, a drop from 6.6 deaths 20 years ago. 

Regardless of the drop, alcohol contributed to 4186 nationwide in 2017. Approximately seven women per 100,000 people died from alcohol related causes last year, the highest number recorded in the past 20 years. 

Nationwide in 2017, there were a total of 160,909 deaths between both men and women. 

The leading cause of death was Ischaemic heart disease, which accounted for 11.6 per cent of all deaths at 18,590.

While remaining the leading cause of death, the number of deaths from Ischaemic heart disease has been steadily declining over the past decade.

Dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, remained the second leading cause of death in 2017, accounting for 13,729 deaths.

The number of deaths from dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease has increased by 68 per cent over the past decade with the death rate increasing from 33.1 deaths per 100,000 people in 2008 to 41.6 in 2017.

In 2017, influenza and pneumonia accounted for 4269 deaths and was the ninth leading cause of death.

The ABS said 2017 was a bad flu year, which lead to an increase in influenza deaths. However, pneumonia still accounted for the majority of deaths in this category.