The NSW Government is working to deliver landmark whole of government suicide prevention legislation within this term of Parliament, commencing a process of consultation with people with lived and living experience of suicidal distress.
This important process will ensure the comprehensive legislation is informed by people who have personally grappled with suicidal distress, people caring for someone through a suicidal crisis and people who are bereaved by suicide.
The NSW Government is delivering on a key election commitment as the legislation will drive a cultural shift within Government. Ensuring every part of the NSW Government accepts its role in suicide prevention and action to reduce death by suicide becomes a collective responsibility.
Once passed, NSW will join South Australia and a handful of countries and regions around the world who have established a legislative mechanism to reduce suicide.
A discussion paper which outlines key considerations for suicide prevention legislation, proposed elements for inclusion, and key discussion questions has been released as part of the next phase of consultation. Refer to NSW Suicide Prevention Legislation | NSW Government for more information.
Consultation activities will be led by peak body Suicide Prevention Australia (SPA) and First Nations Collective Consulting Pty Ltd (First Nations Co.), an Aboriginal owned and led organisation. SPA will deliver lived and living experience consultation workshops and a survey that will be distributed to key stakeholders.
SPA will consult with a range of priority communities who are disproportionately at risk of suicide including, but not limited to, the LGBTQIA+ community, men, young people, older people, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities and people with disability.
First Nations Co. will undertake consultations with First Nations stakeholders including people with a lived and living experience of suicide to ensure cultural perspectives and considerations are central to decision making throughout the process.
Suicide Prevention Australia and First Nations Co. will also consult with representatives from the suicide prevention and social and emotional wellbeing sectors through a CEO roundtable.
Consultation activities will run from July 2024 to August 2024.
These consultations will lay the foundations for the development of the legislation, which will be introduced into parliament in 2025.
To learn more and have your say, please visit: Suicide Prevention or First Nations Co.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson:
“Every life lost to suicide is a preventable tragedy, a stark reminder that behind every statistic lies a person, a family, a community torn apart by loss.
“We recognise that preventing lives lost to suicide is not just a health issue but a societal one, requiring our collective attention and action.
“It is not always the case that mental ill-health is the primary driver of distress leading to suicide.
“Addressing social determinants that can lead to suicide is crucial in reducing the likelihood of a person reaching suicidal crisis.
“Having an Aboriginal owned and led organisation leading this consultation is crucial to ensure cultural governance and cultural safety.
“I encourage people to engage with this consultation process with openness and honesty. We want our suicide prevention legislation to be more than a piece of paper.
“We want it to be an active document guiding our work and for that to happen we need to hear your voices loudly and clearly.”Quotes attributable to Acting CEO of Suicide Prevention Australia Chris Stone
The NSW Government should be commended for taking suicide prevention seriously and its acceleration of a whole-of-government approach to suicide prevention, not just mental health.
“As the peak body, we know that suicide is complex and can be influenced by a range of economic, social, and environmental factors
“An Act will ensure that every government department and official, whether it’s housing, education, social security or health, must look at their work through a suicide prevention lens.
“The insights of people with lived experience of bereavement and suicidal ideation across NSW are integral because they are informed by real-life trauma, grief, loss, and the day-to-day management of stressors like increased cost-of-living, job insecurity and loneliness.
“It is essential that the insights from people with lived experience are incorporated into the design as they have firsthand experience that brings immense value to design and implementation.”
Quotes attributable to CEO of First Nations Collective Consulting Pty Ltd Marni Tuala
“First Nations Co. is committed to driving impactful change for First Nations people through empowerment and self-determination.
“We are looking forward to working with our communities and the NSW Government on developing this legislation which has the potential to deliver positive outcomes to First Nations Australians across the state. Our team will provide a culturally safe space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to share their lived and living experience of suicide, an issue which has been shown to disproportionately impact our community.
“The Closing the Gap target of a significant and sustained reduction in suicide is currently not being met, but this is our chance to make a real difference by listening to and acting on the voices of First Nations Australians.”