<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>339671</docID> <postdate>2025-03-05 13:06:52</postdate> <headline>First Nations suicide rate triple other Australians</headline> <body><div> <p><img class="size-full wp-image-339672" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20231014001852325035-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="513" /></p> <caption>The majority of Indigenous people who die by suicide were under 35. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> </div> <div></div> <div><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Rachael Ward</strong> in Melbourne</span></div> <div></div> <div><strong>The suicide rate of First Nations Australians is three times higher than the rest of the population and deaths are far more prevalent among young people.</strong></div> <div></div> <div>A report from the Victorian Coroner released on Wednesday, revealed 27 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people died by suicide in 2024.</div> <div></div> <div>The figures are a 42 per cent jump since 2022, with the average age of death for men being 37 and 29.6 for women.</div> <div></div> <div>Some 56.6 per cent of indigenous people who died by suicide from 2020-2024 were under 35.</div> <div></div> <div>This was compared to 30.2 per cent of non-indigenous people who took their own lives.</div> <div></div> <div>In the four years until 2024, one third of First Nations suicides were in men aged 25-34, while the most common age for women was between 18-24.</div> <div></div> <div>The analysis also revealed a geographical divide, with 54.9 per cent of suicides in First Nations peoples in regional areas and 45.1 per cent in metropolitan areas.</div> <div></div> <div>This contrasts with the rest of the population, where two thirds of suicides occurred in metropolitan areas.</div> <div></div> <div>Stressors included diagnosed or suspected mental health conditions, interpersonal concerns, substance use, exposure to family violence and contact with the justice system, court data revealed.</div> <div></div> <div>State Coroner Judge John Cain said more conversations were needed at both a government and community level to save lives.</div> <div></div> <div>"It is deeply concerning that First Nations people in Victoria continue to pass by suicide at a rate almost three times higher than the non-indigenous population," he said in a statement.</div> <div></div> <div>"It is critical to ensure proper supports are in place to drive down suicides in these communities."</div> <div></div> <div>Jessica Gobbo, from the court's Aboriginal engagement unit Yirramboi, said it was vital to release up-to-date information so culturally safe supports can be developed.</div> <div></div> <div>"My heart goes out to all the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities disproportionately affected by suicide in Victoria – more work is needed to understand why and how these passings can be prevented," she said.</div> <div></div> <div><em>13YARN 13 92 76</em></div> <div><em>Lifeline 13 11 14</em></div> <div><em>Lifeline 13 11 14</em></div> <div><em>beyondblue 1300 22 4636</em></div> <p> </p> </body>