The NSW government is taking significant steps to introduce landmark suicide prevention legislation within this parliamentary term by initiating consultations last week with individuals who have lived and living experiences of suicidal distress.

The state government highlighted that this consultation process is vital to ensure the legislation is shaped by those who have “personally grappled with suicidal distress, people caring for someone through a suicidal crisis and people who are bereaved by suicide”.

Suicide remains a prevalent issue in Australia, with it being ranked the second-leading cause of premature death. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, there were 3,249 deaths by suicide in 2022, averaging approximately nine deaths per day.

This troubling statistic is echoed in NSW, where NSW Health reported that there have been 940 suspected or confirmed suicide deaths for the year 2023.

The consultation process, scheduled to run from July to August, is being facilitated by Suicide Prevention Australia and First Nations Collective Consulting.

The NSW government has disclosed that Suicide Prevention will conduct consultations and gather feedback from various groups disproportionately at risk of suicide, including the LGBTI community, men, young people, and older people. Additionally, First Nations Collective Consulting will consult with First Nations stakeholders to ensure that cultural perspectives are appropriately considered.

Should this legislation be enacted in NSW, lawmakers will be required to consider the mental health implications of policies across all government sectors, including housing and welfare. Additionally, it would require lawmakers to address the social, economic, and cultural factors that influence the state’s suicide rates.

Through implementing such legislation, NSW will follow South Australia and select other countries that have already successfully implemented comprehensive legislation frameworks aimed at reducing suicide rates.

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Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson underscored the urgency and necessity for NSW to implement suicide prevention legislation.

“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,” Minister Jackson said.

Minister Jackson underscored the importance of addressing social determinants that contribute to suicidal distress, highlighting that mental ill health is not always the primary cause of suicidal thoughts.

“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,” Minister Jackson said.

The Minister for Mental Health encourages individuals to participate in the consultation process openly and honestly, emphasising that for the suicide prevention legislation to be meaningful and effective, it is crucial to hear their perspectives clearly and emphatically.

“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,” Minister Jackson said.

Suicide Prevention Australia CEO Nieves Murray said: “Suicide is complex behaviour and is often due to the culmination of multiple factors such as relationship breakdown, housing and job security, financial hardship, mental ill health, social isolation, or alcohol and other drugs.”

“Suicide prevention, therefore, requires more than a focus on health or mental health alone. It needs a combined effort to address social, economic, physical, cultural and community environments that can also contribute to distress.”

Murray explained what a Suicide Prevention Act would mean for NSW: “A Suicide Prevention Act is a piece of legislation that establishes a whole-of-government approach to suicide prevention. It ensures collective responsibility, accountability, and action towards suicide prevention across government.

“The legislation aims to bring government together to address broad risk factors for suicide, while building wellbeing within the community and strengthening protections against distress. It provides a framework to prioritise suicide prevention and achieve systemic, sustained change.”

Murray added: “As robodebt showed us, we need a whole-of-government approach to suicide that ensures all appropriate precautions and safety nets are taken to minimise and manage community distress before policy changes are launched. A Suicide Prevention Act is the best way to achieve that.”