New data reveals 3046 Australians died by suicide in 2018, slightly down from the previous year.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics today released its preliminary 2018 causes of death data which includes figures related to intentional self-harm.
The figures show that 3046 Australians took their own lives in 2018, 2.5 percent down from 2017 when 3128 people died by suicide.
"This slight reduction is encouraging and may suggest that community and government efforts to address this very serious issue are beginning to reach the people who most need support," Beyond Blue Chair the Hon Julia Gillard AC said.
"Yet each day, eight Australians are still dying by suicide and six of them are men. It's important we remember this is not about numbers, it's about people," Ms Gillard said.
"We must do more to support the individuals, families and communities affected by suicide. We need structural reform that includes prevention, early intervention and awareness initiatives, and we need collaboration across governments and communities because we all have a role to play in reducing suicide."
Of the 3046 registered deaths in 2018, 2320 were men and 726 were women. This means men still account for three quarters of suicide deaths in Australia.
The suicide rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remains twice that of the Australian population as a whole. Last year, 169 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people died by suicide; 129 were male and 40 female.
