This is the first comprehensive national report on diabetes mortality that examines diabetes as an associated cause of death as well as the underlying cause of death. It presents data for Australia and each State and Territory, and for special population groups such as Indigenous Australians, people living in rural and remote areas of Australia, and people who are at a socioeconomic disadvantage. It is a valuable resource for policy makers, health professionals, researchers, and those interested in knowing the extent to which diabetes contributes to mortality in Australia. This report is the first in the Diabetes Series.