Victoria’s Indigenous Suicide Rate 3 Times Higher, Over Half Under 35

As per the latest report, the impact is most pronounced in younger generations, where suicides are disproportionately high.

An Aboriginal flag is held aloft during a Black Lives Matter protest to express solidarity with U.S. protesters and demand an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody in Perth, Australia, on June 13, 2020. Trevor Collens/AFP via Getty Images

In Victoria, suicide rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have reached levels nearly three times the rate of non-Indigenous Australians, with 27 lives lost to suicide in 2024.

This rise, compared to 22 suicides in 2023 and 19 in 2022, underscores the ongoing mental health crisis facing Indigenous communities.

Tragically, the impact is most pronounced in younger generations, where suicides are disproportionately high, the Coroners Court of Victoria’s report released on March 5 found.

Age Group Impact: Young Lives Lost

The report highlights the disproportionate impact of suicide on younger Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Concerningly, 56.6 percent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicides involved individuals under 35, compared to 30.2 percent of non-Indigenous suicides.

Among males, 33 percent of suicides were in the 25-34 age group, with another 20.5 percent in the 35-44 and 45-54 ranges.

For females, 38.2 percent were in the 18-24 age group, and 35.3 percent in 25-34.

The average age of male Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide victims was 37, compared to 46.9 for non-Indigenous males; and 29.6 for females, compared to 45.7 for non-Indigenous females.

Regional Areas Hit Hardest

The report also revealed troubling findings about the geographical distribution of suicides.

From 2020 to 2024, suicides among Indigenous people occurred more frequently in regional areas, with 54.9 percent of cases reported outside metropolitan Melbourne.

This contrasts with the suicide rate among non-Indigenous people, where 66 percent of suicides occurred in the metropolitan areas of Melbourne.

The findings highlight the unique challenges faced by Indigenous communities living in regional and rural areas, including limited access to mental health services, social isolation, and exposure to various stressors that can compound mental health struggles.

Stressors Behind the Statistics

An analysis of the contributing factors to suicides between 2020 and 2023, shows a complex web of stressors affecting Indigenous individuals.

These include mental health issues, interpersonal struggles, substance use, exposure to family violence, and contact with the justice system.

State Coroner Judge John Cain expressed his deep concern on the findings.

“It is critical to ensure proper supports are in place to drive down suicides in these communities.”

A National Crisis: The Broader Picture

The statistics from Victoria reflect a broader trend seen across Australia.

A report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released in February pointed out that the suicide rate among Indigenous people is approximately two and a half times higher than that of non-Indigenous Australians.

In selected states and territories, the age-standardised suicide rate for First Nations people ranged from 28.1 deaths per 100,000 in Queensland to 38.1 per 100,000 in Western Australia.

Among males, the suicide rate is almost three times higher than for females in the same community.

In 2020, all Australian governments, alongside the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations, signed the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

This agreement includes targets for reducing the suicide rate among First Nations people to zero, but progress has been slow.

The Way Forward: Culturally Grounded Solutions

To tackle this crisis, experts stress the need for culturally grounded, community-led solutions.

Professor Pat Dudgeon, director of The Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention at the University of Western Australia, said the rising suicide rates among Indigenous peoples are an indication of the impacts of colonisation, intergenerational trauma, and social disadvantage.

Dudgeon advocates for suicide prevention strategies that are “culturally informed” and address the broader aspects of social and emotional wellbeing.

“Empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to lead their own mental health initiatives is crucial,” she said.

“To reverse this trend, we need culturally grounded solutions that empower our communities and strengthen their connection to culture and Country.”

Programs such as the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation’s Culture Care Connect have the potential to help, but Dudgeon said sustained government support and systemic change were essential for these initiatives to be effective.

Gobbo (Wardandi & Bibbulmun), manager of the Yirramboi Murrup Unit (Coroners Aboriginal Engagement Unit), also highlighted the importance of collaboration in suicide prevention efforts.

“It is vital that the community has access to accurate and up-to-date information about suicide so we can work together to develop targeted, culturally safe supports for First Nations people in Victoria,” Gobbo said.