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Table 6 Value of life in Australia

From: Resource allocation in public sector programmes: does the value of a life differ between governmental departments?

No

Area

Source

Relevance

Type of estimate

Stated value (AU$)

Year

2019/2020 Value* (AU$)

VOLY (AU$)

VSL (AU$)

QALY (AU$)

1

Health

Henry, Hill & Harris

Estimate based on PBAC decisions between 1994–2003

QALY

52,400

2003

52,400

48,206

996,295

52,400

2

Health

Paris & Belloni

Estimate of maximum cut-off based on PBAC decisions between 2005–2009

QALY

75,000

2009

75,000

68,997

1,425,994

75,000

3

Health

Wang, Gum & Merlin

Threshold used to compare PBAC and NICE decisions 2005–2015

QALY

50,000

2015

50,000

45,998

950,663

50,000

4

Transport

BITRE

Estimate of the cost per road fatality

VSL

2,400,000

2006

3,215,595

183,838

3,215,595

199,832

5

Environment

NEPC/Boulter & Kulkarni

Economic analysis to inform the National Plan for Clean Air

VOLY

288,991

2011

288,991

288,991

5,054,867

314,133

6

Environment

NEPC/Boulter & Kulkarni

Economic analysis to inform the National Plan for Clean Air

VSL

6,000,000

2006

6,000,000

343,025

6,000,000

372,868

7

Other

PM&C

For use in cost–benefit analyses for regulation impact statements

VOLY

213,000

2019

213,000

213,000

3,725,676

231,531

8

Other

PM&C

For use in cost–benefit analyses for regulation impact statements

VSL

4,900,000

2019

4,900,000

280,137

4,900,000

304,509

  1. *Values were only updated to 2019/2020 values if they were not already up to date, and if guidance suggests that this is required/appropriate. Only the values in italics were adjusted. Values in bold are the original values, after adjustments. A discount rate of 1.5% and life expectancy of 81.1 were used in calculations. All values are in local currency