Submission: Inquiry into men’s suicide rates

Suicide is the leading cause of death among Australians aged 15 to 44, with men accounting for around 75% of all suicide deaths each year. While the focus of this inquiry is on men, ACTCOSS has urged the Committee to recognise that suicide impacts some cohorts and communities at disproportionately high rates, and that policy responses must reflect this urgent reality.

We recognise that behind every statistic are lives lost, families grieving, and communities forever changed. Suicide is a deeply complex and painful issue, shaped by intersecting social, cultural, and personal factors.

Our key recommendations include:

• Adequately resourcing the community sector to continue to provide the supports they already successfully deliver
  • Ensure funding is long-term
  • Ensure funding reflects the complexity and risk profile of the work undertaken
  • Invest in a diverse service system to meet the varied needs of men across age, cultural background, and lived experience.
• Provide recurrent and long-term funding for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs)
  • Address service gaps by supporting ACCOs to develop flexible, confidential pathways for engagement
  • Ensure consistent, timely access to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees in the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC)