SUICIDE
Suicide continues to be a major public health issue. Although death by suicide is a relatively uncommon event (nationally, occurring at a rate of about 1 per 10,000 population per year), the human and economic costs are substantial. Apart from the loss of human life, the health care costs associated with attempted suicide and the circumstances surrounding the death can be very difficult for family and friends to deal with.
Suicide can be defined as the deliberate taking of one's life. To be classified as a suicide, a death must be recognised as being due to other than natural causes. It must also be established by coronial enquiry that the death resulted from a deliberate act of the deceased with the intention of ending his or her own life.
In 2005, there were 35 suicides registered in the ACT, an increase of 9 suicides (26%) from 2004. The national suicide figure in 2005 was 2,100 people. Fluctuations in suicide numbers from year to year, especially in smaller jurisdictions such as the ACT, are to be expected because of the small numbers involved.
7.12 Suicides, By sex and state/territory |
|  |
| | ACT | NSW | Vic. | Qld | SA | WA | Tas. | NT | Aust. | |
| | no. | no. | no. | no. | no. | no. | no. | no. | no. | |
| |
| Males | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2000 | 25 | 588 | 382 | 421 | 161 | 206 | 40 | 37 | 1 860 | |
| 2001 | 34 | 613 | 412 | 406 | 168 | 212 | 51 | 39 | 1 935 | |
| 2002 | 22 | 552 | 386 | 431 | 140 | 188 | 54 | 44 | 1 817 | |
| 2003 | np | 510 | 409 | 371 | 154 | 167 | 54 | np | 1 736 | |
| 2004 | 19 | 464 | 396 | 371 | 141 | 156 | 70 | 44 | 1 661 | |
| 2005 | 26 | 438 | 393 | 360 | 182 | 169 | 52 | 37 | 1 657 | |
| Females | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2000 | 4 | 142 | 129 | 120 | 38 | 55 | 10 | 5 | 503 | |
| 2001 | 12 | 172 | 129 | 93 | 39 | 57 | 13 | 4 | 519 | |
| 2002 | 4 | 140 | 142 | 106 | 30 | 54 | 16 | 11 | 503 | |
| 2003 | np | 130 | 131 | 95 | 39 | 59 | 15 | np | 477 | |
| 2004 | 7 | 123 | 125 | 82 | 37 | 38 | 18 | 7 | 437 | |
| 2005 | 9 | 111 | 112 | 99 | 49 | 34 | 22 | 8 | 444 | |
| Persons | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2000 | 29 | 730 | 511 | 541 | 199 | 261 | 50 | 42 | 2 363 | |
| 2001 | 46 | 785 | 541 | 499 | 207 | 269 | 64 | 43 | 2 454 | |
| 2002 | 26 | 692 | 528 | 537 | 170 | 242 | 70 | 55 | 2 320 | |
| 2003 | 35 | 640 | 540 | 466 | 193 | 226 | 69 | 44 | 2 213 | |
| 2004 | 26 | 587 | 521 | 453 | 178 | 194 | 88 | 51 | 2 098 | |
| 2005 | 35 | 549 | 505 | 459 | 231 | 203 | 74 | 45 | 2 101 | |
| |
| np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated |
| Suicides, Australia, 2005 (cat. no. 3309.0). |
