Slight fall in suspected suicide figures, Māori still worst-affected

The Office of the Chief Coroner has released the annual provisional suspected suicide statistics.

The data includes both suspected and confirmed deaths by suicide in New Zealand.

In the year to 30 June 2024, 617 people died by suspected suicide, a rate of 11.2 people per 100,000.

The rate of suspected self-inflicted deaths in the 2023/24 financial year was 3.6 percent lower than the average rate of suspected self-inflicted deaths over the last 15 years.

But overall it was considered that there was no change in the rate of suicide, as fluctuations in rates from year to year are common in suicide data.

The provisional rate of suspected suicide for Māori was 16.3 per 100,000 people for the 2023/2024 financial year.

However, in the 25-44 age group the rate of suspected suicide for Māori was 30.2 people per 100,000, compared to a rate of 11.8 for non-Māori.

For Asian peoples the rate was 4.8 per 100,000 people and this rate is also unchanged.

The rate per 100,000 people for Pacific populations, was 7.7.

"The annual release of these data helps to inform a better understanding of where to direct suicide prevention efforts and reduce the burden of suicide," the Ministry of Health's acting deputy director-general for clinical community and mental health Geoff Short said.

"We are committed to improving suicide prevention efforts, which involves a whole of government approach and in particular addressing the structural determinants of health."

Both Short and the Chief Coroner Judge Anna Tutton acknowledged those who had died or been affected by suicide.