Suicide figures (ABS 2016)
Data in this document has been updated to reflect the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
Catalogue 3303.0 Causes of Death, Australia, 2014 released Tuesday 8 March 2016.
For more information on this data visit the ABS website at www.abs.gov.au
ABS revisions to Causes of Death Data
The ABS began a significant quality assurance process in 2010 to improve the quality of coding of deaths
data. This new process has involved revising the Causes of Death data from 2006 onwards by including any
subsequently closed coronial cases that had failed to reach a conclusion ahead of the original ABS cut off
period for that year.
In 2016, a final revision of 2012 data and a first revision of 2013 data took place. ABS has now also
completed the process with final data for 2006 to 2011.
Further information about this data is available from the ABS website at www.abs.gov.au, or contact the
National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.
Notes about using statistics
1. 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.
2. ABS advises that care should be taken in comparing 2014 suicide data with:
a. Previous revisions, as some data have been subject to a quality improvement process;
b. Pre-2006 data as the previous years are not subject to the revision process.
3. 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. Data on suicides can be reported in different ways, including: the number of people who died by
suicide; the age-standardised suicide rate (e.g. seven per 100,000 people, this allows for the
comparison of groups with different age structures and sizes); and as a percentage of deaths from all
causes which were due to suicide.
5. The comparison of international suicide statistics can be very difficult due to differences in
procedures for coronial reporting and classifying deaths, definitions, time periods, and the level of
undercounting.
Figure 1. Preliminary and Revised Suicide Rates (1989 – 2014)
Figure 2. 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
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Preliminary Male
Revised Male
Preliminary Female
Revised Female
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 andover
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Age category
Male Preliminary
Female Preliminary
Figure 3. Age-standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (15 – 19 year olds)
Figure 4. Age-standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (20 – 24 year olds)
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
Figure 5. Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (25 – 29 year olds)
Figure 6. Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (30 – 34 year olds)
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
Figure 7. Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (35 – 39 year olds)
Figure 8. Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (40 – 44 year olds)
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
19
89
19
90
19
91
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92
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93
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94
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95
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96
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20
14
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
Figure 9. Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (45 – 49 year olds)
Figure 10. Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (50 – 54 year olds)
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
Figure 11. Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (55 – 59 year olds)
Figure 12. Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (60 – 64 year olds)
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
19
89
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90
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91
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92
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20
14
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
Figure 13. Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (65 – 69 year olds)
Figure 14. Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (70 – 74 year olds)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
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89
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14
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
19
89
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90
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91
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92
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20
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20
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20
14
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
Figure 15. Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (75 – 79 year olds)
Figure 16. Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (80 – 84 year olds)
*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
19
89
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11
20
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20
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20
14
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
Figure 17. Age- standardised Suicide Rates 1989-2014 (85+ year olds)
*Note – Statistics available prior to 1997 only show data from 75 or above. 1997 was the first year that the
age category 85+ was used.
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
Male
Female
Figure 18. Preliminary and Final Revision of Suicide Rate, 2012
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 andover
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Age category
Male Preliminary
Female Preliminary
Male Final
Female Final
Figure 19. Preliminary and First Revision of Suicide Rate, 2013
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 andover
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Age category
Male Preliminary
Female Preliminary
Male First Review
Female First Review
Figure 20. Age standardised death rates by state and territory of usual residence and Sex, 2014
Note: Suicide rate for Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory (female) was not available. Please refer to ABS (2016) Data Cube, Table 11.6.
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
40.0
45.0
50.0
NT SA WA TAS QLD VIC NSW ACT
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
State / Territory
Male
Female
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
Suic
ide
rate
(p
er 1
00
,00
0)
Year
NSW Vic. Qld SA
WA Tas. NT ACT
Table 1. Suicide count and rate by State/Territory and Sex, 2014.
State/Territory Sex Count Rate (per 100,000)
New South Wales Male 590 15.6
Female 205 5.2
Total persons 795 10.3
Victoria Male 497 16.9
Female 149 5.0
Total persons 646 10.8
Queensland Male 490 21.0
Female 158 6.6
Total persons 648 13.7
South Australia Male 184 22.1
Female 56 6.5
Total persons 240 14.2
Western Australia Male 282 21.5
Female 92 7.2
Total persons 374 14.4
Tasmania Male 56 21.5
Female 13 np
Total 69 12.7
Northern Territory Male 33 24.1
Female 21 17.0
Total persons 54 20.8
Australian Capital Territory Male 28 14.6
Female 10 np
Total persons 38 9.8
Note: Suicide rate for Tasmania and Australian Capital Territory (Female) was not available. Please refer to ABS (2016) data cube, Table 11.6.