Gender

In every state and territory of Australia, suicide is much more common among males than females, with the ratio standing at 3:1 in 2012.^[15]

According to hospital data, females are more likely to deliberately injure themselves than males. In the 2008–2009 financial year, 62% of those who were hospitalised due to self-harm were female.^[16]

Researchers have attributed the difference between attempted and completed suicides among the sexes to males using more lethal means to end their lives.^[17]

Suicide rates for both males and females have generally decreased since the mid-90s with the overall suicide rate decreasing by 23% between 1999 and 2009. Suicide rates for males peaked in 1997 at 23.6 per 100,000 but have steadily decreased since then and stood at 14.9 per 100,000 in 2009. Female rates reached a high of 6.2 per 100 000 in 1997. Rates declined after that and was 4.5 per 100 000 in 2009.^[18] Comparing sex differences in suicide rates need to consider differences across the lifespan. Since 2003, for females, suicide rates range from 4 – 6 suicides per 100 000 with no apparent age association, whilst for men suicide rates range from 10 – 30 suicides per 100 000 with substantive differences across the lifespan; those males in middle and older age report substantially increased rates of suicide.^[19]

Urban–rural differences

Overall suicide rates for males and females in Australia differ little between rural and urban areas. However, rates for young men are distinctly higher than women in rural settings. There are a number of different factors that contribute to this. The easy accessibility to firearms, lower socio-economic lifestyle and increased level of social isolation, all add to the higher rate of male suicide in rural Australia.^[20][21]

Alcohol

There is a strong correlation between alcohol (as well as other drugs) and suicide in Australian young adults. Between 30 and 50% of suicides, detectable substances are found during post-mortem coronal investigations, with alcohol being the most common.^[22]

Age

The rate of suicide in Australian adolescents has gradually decreased, yet it still remains a prominent issue. Certain groups of young adults seem to be more at risk of potentially committing suicide. Youth of indigenous, rural or refugee backgrounds, as well as those in welfare, have been observed as having a higher rate of committing suicide. Young males tend to be more at risk than females.^[23]

Since 2003, age-standardised rates of suicide have been stable for females across the life course whilst for young adult men there have been declines of between 5 and 8 deaths per 100,000 but increases of between 4 and 7 deaths per 100,000 in middle-aged men.^[19] Middle and older-aged men continue to suicide at rates 4-6 times greater than females on average, and around at rates 2–3 times greater than teenage males.^[19]

Unemployment

Studies suggest that in men there is a high correlation between the number of suicides and the length of unemployment accompanied by a decrease in the national unemployment rates. The data also states that the longer the period of low employment the higher the rate of suicides in the age group of men between ages 25–34 and 55–64.^[24]

20th century

• In 1952, politician James Vinton Smith died by suicide by firearm.^[27]
• In 1953, Nellie Cameron, a notorious Sydney prostitute in the 1920s and 1930s, died by suicide.^[28][29]
• In 1977, Pat Flower, an English Australian writer of plays, television plays and novels, died by suicide.^[30]
• In 1979, Christine Smith, an Australian alpine skier, died by suicide.^[31]
• In 1985, Mary Hardy, an Australian television and radio presenter, actress, writer and comedian, died by suicide.^[32]
• In 1987, Alex Carey, an Australian writer, author, social psychologist, academic and sociologist, died by suicide.^[33]
• On 3 March 1990, prominent Melbourne business man and property developer Floyd Podgornik shot himself in his inner-city apartment.^[34]
• In 1991, John Friedrich killed himself by firearm.^[35]
• In 1995, Steven Wood, an Australian sprint and marathon canoeist, died by suicide.^[36][37]
• In 1999, Ric Throssell, an Australian diplomat and author whose writings included novels, plays, film and television scripts, and memoirs, died by suicide.^[38]
• In 2000, Greg Wilton a Member of the House of Representatives committed suicide.

21st century

• In May 2005, Rene Rivkin, Australian investor and entrepreneur committed suicide.^[39]
• In October 2005, Paul Hester, an Australian musician and television personality, died by suicide, hanging himself in Elsternwick Park near his home.^[40]
• In November 2005, Sandy Blythe, an Australian wheelchair basketball player, died by suicide.^[41]
• In 2007, a member of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) from Claremont in Tasmania, Kristy Corbett, was involved in a suicide case in which her former partner took his life. Corbett was investigated for her culpability but no charges were ever laid against her.^[42]
• In November 2007, Charmaine Dragun, an Australian television newsreader, jumped off The Gap, an oceanside cliff.^[43]
• In 2009, Alex Harris, an Australian Paralympic swimmer, who represented Australia at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney and the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, died by suicide.^[44]
• In 2014, Charlotte Dawson, an Australian TV presenter, died by suicide by hanging.^[45]
• In 2015, Mike Gibson, an Australian sports journalist, columnist, commentator, and radio and television presenter, died by suicide.^[46][47]
• In October 2016, Fergus David Edward Miller, known professionally as Bored Nothing, an Australian musician, died by suicide.^[48][49]
• In November 2016, Tyrone Unsworth, a 13-year-old Australian boy, died by suicide after years of bullying motivated by his homosexuality.^[50]
• In June 2017, Alice Eather, an Aboriginal Australian slam poet, environmental campaigner and teacher from Maningrida, died by suicide.^[51][52]
• In August 2017, Stephen Wooldridge, an Australian racing cyclist and an Olympic and four-time world champion on the track, died by suicide.^[53]
• In November 2017, Samantha Rebillet, a French-born Australian film director, actress, screenwriter, producer, singer and songwriter, died by suicide.^[54]
• In January 2018, Amy Jayne "Dolly" Everett, an Australian teenager who suffered from mental illness and who was a victim of cyberbullying, died by suicide.^[55]
• In April 2018, Shane Yarran, an Australian rules footballer, died by suicide.^[56]
• In November 2018, Jonathan Cantwell, an Australian professional road bicycle racer, died by suicide.^{[57][58][59][60]}
• In 2019, Annalise Braakensiek, an Australian model, actress, television presenter, businesswoman and campaign ambassador, was found dead in her Sydney apartment from apparent suicide.^[61]
• In 2020, Shane Tuck, an Australian rules footballer, died by suicide.^[62][63][64]
• In 2021, Dieter Brummer, an Australian actor, died by suicide.^[65]
• In 2022, Paul Green, an Australian professional rugby league football coach and a professional rugby league footballer, died by suicide.^[66]