The Hunter Institute manages the Mindframe National Media Initiative, which has undertaken the data analysis for this publication, and reminds media and communication professionals of responsible and accurate reporting of suicide. www.mindframe-media.info

1. Suicide data 2014
Released 8 March 2016
Developed by Hunter Institute of Mental Health
The Hunter Institute manages the Mindframe National Media Initiative, which has
undertaken the data analysis for this publication, and reminds media and
communication professionals of responsible and accurate reporting of suicide.
www.mindframe-media.info

2. About this summary
• This is a summary of suicide death data released by the Australian Bureau
of Statistics (ABS), released on 8 March 2016 in Catalogue 3303.0.
• This summary represents major trends in the 2014 (preliminary) data,
trends by age group over time and state variations.
• The summary was prepared by staff at the Hunter Institute of Mental
Health to inform national communication activities under the Mindframe
National Media Initiative.
• A full summary of data can be found on the Mindframe website at
www.mindframe-media.info/for-media/reporting-suicide/facts-and-stats

3. Notes about using the statistics
• The gap between preliminary and subsequent revisions, has been closing
due to the ABS receiving information faster from coronial processes in
each state and territory.
• ABS advises that care should be taken in comparing 2014 suicide data
with:
– Previous revisions, as some data have been subject to a quality
improvement process;
– Pre-2006 data as the previous years are not subject to the revision
process.
• Due to the relatively small numbers of suicides in some states and
territories, even one or two deaths can have a significant impact on
standardised suicide rates. Thus comparisons across Australia must be
done cautiously.

4. There were 2,864
deaths due to suicide
in 2014 at a rate of
12.0 per 100,000.
This equates to and
average of 7.8 deaths
by suicide in Australia
each day.
About three quarters of
those who died by suicide
were male.
There were 2,160 male
deaths at a rate of 18.4 per
100,000.
There were 704 female
deaths at a rate of 5.9 per
100,000.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples are almost
twice as likely to die by
suicide than non-Indigenous
people.
In 2014, suicide accounted
for 5.2% of all Indigenous
deaths compared to 1.8% for
non-Indigenous people.
General summary
While suicide rates are lower than the most recent peak in 1997 (14.6 per 100,000)
they have increased between 2013 (10.9 per 100,000) and 2014 (12.0 per 100,000)

5. Preliminary Suicide Rates 2014
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85 and
over
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Age category
Male Preliminary
Female Preliminary

6. Suicide Rates (1989 – 2014)
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Preliminary Male
Revised Male
Preliminary Female
Revised Female

7. 15 – 19 year olds
Age-standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

8. 20 – 24 year olds
Age-standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

9. 25 – 29 year olds
Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

10. 30 – 34 year olds
Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

11. 35 – 39 year olds
Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

12. 40 – 44 year olds
Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

13. 45 – 49 year olds
Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

14. 50 – 54 year olds
Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

15. 55 – 59 year olds
Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

16. 60 – 64 year olds
Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

17. 65 – 69 year olds
Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

18. 70 – 74 year olds
Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

19. 75 – 79 year olds
Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

20. 80 – 84 year olds
Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female
*Note – Statistics available prior to 1997 only show data from 75 years plus age category. 1997 was the first year that the age
category 80 – 84 was used.

21. 85+ year olds
Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014
*Note – Statistics available prior to 1997 only show data from 75 years plus age category. 1997 was the first year that the age
category 80 – 84 was used.
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
Male
Female

22. 20.8 per
100,000
14.4 per
100,000
10.3 per
100,000
10.8 per
100,000
12.7 per
100,000
13.7 per
100,000
14.2 per
100,000
Based on the Standardised Death Rate 2014
ABS 3303.0 – Suicides Australia, 2014 (08/03/2016)
9.8 per
100,000

23. Figure 21. Age-standardised death rates
by State and territory 2006 – 2014
5.0
7.5
10.0
12.5
15.0
17.5
20.0
22.5
25.0
27.5
30.0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Suiciderate(per100,000)
Year
NSW Vic. Qld SA
WA Tas. NT ACT

24. Mindframe
The Mindframe National Media Initiative aims to encourage
responsible, accurate and sensitive representation of mental
illness and suicide in the Australian mass media.
For more information and to view the range of Mindframe
resources, visit: www.mindframe-media.info

25. Conversations Matter
Community and professional resources to guide and support safe
and effective conversations about suicide.
A range of practical resources are available online at
www.conversationsmatter.com.au

26. Need support?