Mental health: taking action to tackle suicide

Suicide is a tragedy – for individuals, for families, and for communities in which someone has taken their own life. More than 2000 Australians take their lives every year. A re-elected Gillard Labor Government will redouble our national efforts to prevent the tragedy of suicide in order to reduce the tragic toll it imposes on individuals, families and communities.

The Government will invest $276.9 million over four years to:

Provide more services to those at greatest risk of suicide – including psychology and psychiatry services, as well as non-clinical support to assist people with severe mental illness and their carers with their day-to-day needs.
Invest more in direct suicide prevention and crisis intervention, including through boosting the capacity of counselling services such as Lifeline and providing funding to improve safety at suicide 'hotspots'.
Provide more services and support to men – who are at greatest risk of suicide, but least likely to seek help.
Promote good mental health and resilience in young people, to prevent suicide later in life.