Penny Wright (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 886 standing in my name relating to World Suicide Prevention Day.

Leave granted.

I, and also on behalf of Senator Fierravanti-Wells, move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that Monday, 10 September 2012 is World Suicide Prevention Day;

(b) recognises that:

(i) suicide is the leading cause of death in Australia for men under 44 years of age and women under 34 years of age,

(ii) the most recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports death due to suicide at 2 132 people per year, which amounts to 6 deaths by suicide a day or one every 4 hours, and

(iii) suicide remains underreported and estimates suggest that the total number of deaths could be as high as 2 500 a year; and

(c) calls on all governments to:

(i) promote increased awareness about the problem and complexity of suicide and the different ways individuals, organisations and communities can work together to reduce suicide rates and the incidence of suicidal behaviours, and

(ii) address impediments to the accurate collection of suicide data in Australia as recommended by the Community Affairs References Committee in its 2010 report, The hidden toll:Suicide in Australia.

Question agreed to.