Indigenous suicide rates an outrage, says inquiry head

The higher suicide rate among ­indigenous Australians is an ‘outrage’ that warrants greater attention, a PC inquiry says.

Already this year 35 indigenous people have died by suicide.

The higher suicide rate among ­indigenous Australians is an “outrage” that warrants greater attention, according to the head of a Productivity Commission inquiry.

Amid doubts over the resourcing and direction of Australia’s mental health system, and rising suicide rates, Health Minister Greg Hunt and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in November announced the commission would undertake a wide-ranging inquiry into mental health.

Already this year, 35 indigenous people have died by suicide, 11 of them children, including a 12-year-old girl from the Pilbara in Western Australia and a 12-year-old girl in South Australia.

Stephen King said his inquiry had already identified deep-seated problems in some areas, with poor mental health and poor overall functioning, contributing to the tragic, premature deaths of young people.

“Four times as many indigenous kids take their lives as non-­indigenous kids and that’s just an outrage,” Dr King said.

“I’d never heard the term ­‘intergenerational trauma’ until I started this inquiry. I think I’m starting to understand what it means. We’ve got a long way to go with this inquiry, but I just really hope we can be helped on that journey by all members of the community.”

The inquiry had spoken with community representatives, including members of the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, and indigenous health ­experts, and hoped for further contributions before submissions closed on April 5.

Dr King, an economist who has worked on inquiries into human services and pharmacy, is supported by commissioner Julie Abramson, a lawyer, and associate commissioner Harvey Whiteford, a mental health expert.

The inquiry can examine psychosocial determinants of health, such as housing, schooling, early childhood and income support, and look at the most effective measures of improving mental health for individuals and communities.

While there appeared to be unanimity around the need for local, community-led solutions to the indigenous suicide crisis, Dr King said not all communities would have the resources or skills to respond and some would need support.

Similarly, there were mixed views on the best suicide prevention strategies and structures to roll out. He said it was “shocking” that, in mental health, programs often ended or lost funding without being evaluated.

“So you never know what ­actually works,” Dr King said. “Everyone realises broadly that mental health has been an area that has been neglected, compared to physical health, and it is time we got that right.”

Dr King said the challenge for the inquiry was helping “break the cycle, the intergenerational trauma, so that young indigenous Australians, no matter where they are in Australia, can look forward with hope”.

Mr Hunt accepted the recommendations of the National Mental Health Commission in December that suicide prevention be made a whole-of-government issue and a priority for the Council of Australian Governments.

Dr King said the inquiry would consider coroners’ reports and evidence to the royal commission into Victoria’s mental health system. Its draft report is expected later this year, after the federal election.