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30 October 2025 The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand (MHF) acknowledges with aroha the loss of 630 people in Aotearoa New Zealand to suspected suicide over the past year (1 July 2024 – 30 June 2025). The data released today by the Office of the Chief Coroner shows a suspected suicide rate of 11.0 people per 100,000, compared with 11.2 per 100,000 last year. Overall, this represents a 3.1% decrease compared to the 16-year average. reflect on the deep and lasting impact a death by suicide has on whānau and communities across Aotearoa. If you are grieving someone lost to suicide at this time, we extend our aroha to you,” says MHF chief executive Shaun “These people are more than numbers – they were someone’s mother, father, daughter, son, sister, brother, life partner, whānau member, colleague or friend. It’s important to keep those who have lost a loved one at the front of our minds today, and every day. know someone who is grieving, now is a good time to reach out, have a kōrero, and offer your support. If you are grieving – and there is no set timeframe for grief – I encourage you to access Aoake te Rā, a free support service for people bereaved by Mr Robinson says the results show little movement over the past few years and continue to remain stubbornly high. “We can do much more to lift Aotearoa’s wellbeing to reduce suicide. Further investment in suicide prevention programmes and service is sorely “It’s vital we build strong networks of connection, reduce stigma, equip people to support themselves and others, and offer hope. We need more targeted suicide prevention and postvention services, particularly for rangatahi. Suicide prevention needs to be closely linked to a plan to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people. Rangatahi need hope, and support. This needs to be addressed with urgency.” Mr Robinson adds that strong national leadership and cross-party commitment are essential to shift the number of suspected While the overall suicide rate has decreased over the past 15 years, persistent inequities remain for “It is deeply concerning that the suspected suicide rate for Māori stands at 28.1 per 100,000,” Mr Robinson says. “The MHF continues to stress the urgent need for ongoing suicide prevention efforts grounded in kaupapa Māori principles, supported by appropriate funding. Suicide prevention initiatives must be equitable, culturally responsive, and accessible to all throughout The MHF reminds New Zealanders that, while there is still much work to do, there is also hope and “We acknowledge the tireless mahi of those working in suicide prevention. What many people don’t see are the thousands of lives saved each year through their dedication. We must learn from these successes. By working together and using our collective knowledge and community networks, we can create real change,” Mr Robinson The Mental Health Foundation offers a range of free, evidence-based suicide prevention and postvention resources, available via the MHF Web Store. These resources are designed to help individuals and organisations support themselves and others in times of need. This year, the MHF released two free suicide prevention and postvention resources specifically designed to support workplaces. “The resources are designed for use by business owners, people leaders and individuals and teams who support staff within a workplace. They offer evidence-based guidance on the actions that need to be taken to support staff in organisations,”says Mr To help keep people safe, the MHF asks media to report on these statistics with care, following the suicide media reporting guidelines, section 71 of the Coroners Act, and acknowledging the provisional nature of these statistics. The MHF discourages narratives suggesting certain populations or regions are “at greater risk” and instead encourages stories that highlight suicide prevention initiatives, helplines, and messages of hope. today’s data release has affected you, please reach out for support. Help is available, and it’s free. You can find the helplines listed below. He murimuri aroha ki ngā taonga kua riro. Our deepest sympathy to on suicide requires that you follow the Suicide Media Reporting Guidelines and section 71 of the Coroner’s Act. Section 71 of the Coroners Act 2006 states that when publishing information about any death which is self-inflicted (or where there is reasonable cause to suspect it is self-inflicted) in Aotearoa New Zealand you cannot report on or publish: • the method or any suspected method of death • any details suggesting the method or suspected method of death (e.g., the place of death) • descriptions of the death as a ‘suicide’ (unless the Coroner has certified suicide to be the cause of death). However, the death can be described as a ‘suspected suicide’. reporting on suicide please: oversimplifying statistics. Be wary of reporting on regional statistics as fluctuations with small numbers may appear worse than they are and create distress or alarm. Always look for trends over a long period of time. Only use official statistics which are available at https://tewhatuora.shinyapps.io/suicide-web-tool/Don’t use sensational language in the article or headline, as you could increasefeelings of hopelessness for some people (and hopelessness is a key emotion experienced by people at risk of suicide).Don’t use the phrase ‘committed suicide.’ We recommend using “died by suicide” or “took their lives” instead.When publishing content around suicide on websites and social media, take care to moderate, or close the comment sections, if possible. The MHF recently released Safely reporting about suicide, which offers best-practice guidance and information to support the media and digital content creators and moderators when covering or posting about suicide. The following services offer free support 24/7 and can connect people with others who can help. Please include these in any reporting around Free call or text 1737 anytime to talk to a trained counsellorLifeline – 0800 543 354 or free text 4357 (HELP)Youthline – free text 234, call 0800 376 633, webchat at youthline.co.nz, DM on Instagram @youthlinenz, message on Whats App 09 886 56 96.Aoake te Rā – Free, brief therapeutic support service for those bereaved by suicide. Call 0800 000 You can also download, or order, our free suicide prevention resources here: shop.mentalhealth.org.nz © Scoop Media
