Suicide in older Australians a worrying trend that cannot be ignored

Greens spokesperson for Suicide Prevention Hon Alison Xamon MLC has called on the Government to ensure it pays close attention to the increasing issue of suicide in older Australians, in the development of its next suicide prevention strategy. 

Ms Xamon said she had become increasingly concerned about older-adult suicide, which often occurred in situations of loneliness and isolation. 

She said anecdotal evidence also suggested older Australians were dying by suicide because felt pressure from their families or were being subjected to abuse and neglect. 

"It is absolutely devastating and a heart-breaking indictment of where we are as a community and how we treat older people," Ms Xamon said. 

"Whatever the reason is, older-adult suicide is an area that we are going to have to pay more attention to," Ms Xamon said. 

Ms Xamon said while she recognised the significant investment in developing the state suicide prevention strategy under the previous Government, and that the current Government had continued the commitment, it was important to remain aware of the nature of trends in suicide and the capacity to swiftly respond. 

She said she would continue to raise the issue in Parliament to ensure it remained firmly on the Government's agenda.