NT suicide rates highest in Australia, according to ABS

The Northern Territory has the highest rate of suicide in Australia, according to recent figures released by the Australia Bureau of Statistics.

NT Children's Commissioner, Howard Bath

SUICIDE rates in the Northern Territory are the highest in Australia and nearly double the national average.

Latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show in 2012, 48 Territorians took their lives.

This was calculated as a standardised death rate of 18.1 between 2008-2012 compared to 10.8 for the same period across the country.

Tasmania came in second with a rate of 14.1 and Western Australia and Victoria at 13.5 and 13 respectively.

Of further concern is that younger people are taking their own lives more often across the country.

Rates of suicide among 15-19 year olds increased from 17.9 in 2003 to 25.8 in 2012..

Female are also suiciding at a higher rate than before with 634 deaths recorded across the country in 2012 compared to 477 in 2003.

On the back of these alarming figures, the federal government’s Human Rights Commission has announced it will launch a national inquiry into bullying and suicide. among children and teenagers.

National Children’s Commissioner Megan Mitchell told The Australian those aged 15 to 24 were more likely to kill themselves than die in a car crash.

“It’s hard to be a teenager; it always has been. But I do think kids are exposed to lots of things in the modern world that put them under pressure — whether it be relationships, family conflicts, stresses to achieve at school and the scourge of bullying in society,” she said.

She also noted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were five times more likely to commit suicide than other Australian kids.

The Northern Territory’s Children’s Commissioner Howard Bath told The Advocate community and family violence was a key contributor to suicide.

“(Rates of suicide) seem to be related to issues around concentrated disadvantage. around the rise of alcohol abuse, around issues of domestic violence,” Mr Bath said.

“We know a lot of those issues have increased over the last few years, particularly in those disadvantaged areas.”

A report published by the NT Child Deaths Review and Prevention Committeerevealed before the 1980s, the Territory’s incidence of suicide was at a similar level to the rest of the country, but since then it has risen to surpass the national average.

Mr Bath said research done in the NT could help inform the national inquiry.

“The research done in the NT reflects the different demographics in the NT — a third of our population is Aboriginal and about 43 per cent of our children are indigenous.

“The national inquiry will consider different population groups in particular vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.

“We can obviously contribute to that because of the research done in the NT.”

Over the weekend, Minister for Health Robyn Lambley announced the NT’s first Suicide Prevention and Wellbeing Conference encouraging Territorians to take part.

For further details on the conference — to be held between June 1 and 3 — call 8999 2712 or email [e-mail] visit.

If someone you know is experiencing personal difficulties you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.