Reportage
The following stories cover suicide and/or self-harm. To share your opinion of these stories and discuss reportage of suicide and self-harm in the media, visit the LIFE discussion forums.
News reports
Title:
Kinglake program tackles dark legacy of bushfire
Date: 1 September 2010
Outlet: Diamond Valley Leader
Synopsis: Reports on suicide prevention program launched to help bushfire survivors look out for each other.
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Title:
Doctors plagued by depression, suicide, beyondblue research shows
Date: 31 August 2010
Outlet: Herald Sun
Synopsis: Reports on research carried out by the national depression initiative beyondblue which found that many doctors and medical students who suffered depression and anxiety ignored their condition.
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Title:
Guns buyback saved lives
Date: 30 August 2010
Outlet: The Age
Synopsis: Reports on how 200 lives a year have been saved since John Howard's agreement with the states to ban and buy back half a million weapons.
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Title:
Anderton: Don't relax media ban on suicide
Date: 29 August 2010
Outlet: The Press
Synopsis: Covers Christchurch MP Jim Anderton's stance that the media should not be able to report on the specifics of any suicide.
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Title:
Fighting with shadows on homefront
Date: 29 August 2010
Outlet: The Sydney Morning Herald
Synopsis: Reports on a treatment pioneered by Sydney researchers which could greatly cut drug abuse and suicides among soldiers suffering traumatic stress after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Title:
Helping people at risk of suicide
Date: 26 August 2010
Outlet: ABC
Synopsis: Discusses the crucial role family and friends can play when somebody close to them is struggling with suicidal thoughts.
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Title: Young children among high suicide statistics
Date: 25 August 2010
Outlet: The Press
Synopsis: Reports on a new suicide prevention group that was launched yesterday in New Zealand and includes statistics on children (under 10 years old) who complete suicide in the country.
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Title:
A clearer picture of suicide prevention
Date: 25 August 2010
Outlet: Bunbury Mail
Synopsis: Covers the continuing research into early suicide intervention and the resilence of the South West region and how this regions service capacity will also be assessed against the national framework for suicide prevention, Living Is For Everyone.
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Title:
Be open in speaking of suicide, forum told
Date: 23 August 2010
Outlet: Otago Daily Times
Synopsis: Reports on a New Zealand public forum at which people talked openly about suicide.
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Title:
Networking sites harbour suicide clues
Date: 22 August 2010
Outlet: Otago Daily Times
Synopsis: Discusses how social networking sites are increasingly being used in international suicide prevention work.
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Title:
Saving lives is more important than saving dollars
Date: 22 August 2010
Outlet: Scoop Independent News
Synopsis: Covers criticism of government's decision to cut counselling services for people in Christchurch and other parts of New Zealand who have lost family members to suicide.
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Title:
Coast tradies at greater suicide risk
Date: 18 August 2010
Outlet: goldcoast.com.au
Synopsis: Reports that construction workers on the Gold Coast and and their Queensland counterparts are six times more likely to die from suicide than a workplace accident.
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Title:
Suicide, depression more common among doctors
Date: 18 August 2010
Outlet: ABC News
Synopsis: A study on mental health issues shows suicide and depression are more prevalent in the medical profession than in the general public.
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Title: Warning of suicide copycat
Date: 15 August 2010
Outlet: TVNZ
Synopsis: Reports on the ongoing public debate regarding the reporting of suicide.
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Title: Coroner at odds with ministry on suicide
Date: 13 August 2010
Outlet: New Zealand Herald
Synopsis: Reports on comments made by a coroner when handing down his findings into a after a 15 year old boy completed suicide whilst in a New Zealand which has again sparked public debate on the reporting of suicide in the media.
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Title: Readers react to suicide coverage
Date: 13 August 2010
Outlet: The Press
Synopsis: Covers debate in New Zealand sorrounding media reportage of suicide.
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Title: Suicide Stereotypes exposed as myths
Date: 12 August 2010
Outlet: LiveScience
Synopsis: Discusses the variability of suicidal behaviours dependent on cultural factors.
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Title: Mental health shortfall a 'national obscenity'
Date: 9 August 2010
Outlet: ABC News
Synopsis: Reports on the comments made by a number of prominent mental professionals in interviews that will air on the ABC's Four Corners program tonight.
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Title:
Cautious welcome for mental health promise
Date: 4 August 2010
Outlet:
Sydney Star Observer
Synopsis: Covers Australia’s peak GLBTI health groups cautious welcome towards a Gillard Government funding promise to tackle GLBTI suicide rates.
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Title:
Turnbull minds The Gap with $2.1m suicide funding pledge
Date: 2 August 2010
Outlet:
The Age
Synopsis: Discusses a Coalition government's pledge to provide $2.1 million for extensive works designed to reduce suicides at The Gap at Watsons Bay.
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Title: Crash factor hits cops
Date: 30 July 2010
Outlet:
The Mercury
Synopsis: Discusses the aftermath following on from a Tasmanian man completing suicide on the broader community, including the police officers who had witnessed the man's suicide.
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Title: US army failing troops: general
Date: 30 July 2010
Outlet: SBS World News
Synopsis: Reports on US army General Chiarelli's comments regarding current efforts in the area of suicide prevention in the country's armed services.
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Title:
WA appoints mental health commissioner
Date: 27 July 2010
Outlet: Sydney Morning Herald
Synopsis: Reports on Western Australia becoming the first state to appoint a mental health commissioner.
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Title: Factbox: Labor's suicide prevention funding
Date: 27 July 2010
Outlet: Sydney Morning Herald
Synopsis: Provides breakdown of mental health and suicide prevention budget promise made by the Labor Party if it wins the federal election.
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Title:
Suicide prevention a priority
Date: 27 July 2010
Outlet: The Independent Weekly
Synopsis: Announces Prime Minister Julia Gillard's promise of $277 million for suicide prevention if Labor wins the August 21 federal election.
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Title:
A worry shared is a worry halved
Date: 27 July 2010
Outlet: The New Zealand Farmers Weekly
Synopsis: Workshops in two South Island towns of New Zealand recently dealt with rural men and stress.
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Title:
Rural men's isolation 'big problem'
Date: 27 July 2010
Outlet: The Southland Times
Synopsis: The isolated nature of farming continues to be a problem in rural areas.
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Title:
Suicide prevention workshop a first for Tennant Creek
Date: 23 July 2010
Outlet: Tennant & District Times
Synopsis: Tennant Creek have held their first-ever Suicide Story workshop - a collaboration of suicide intervention and awareness training tools, research and the understandings of Indigenous people from the Northern Territory.
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Title:
Coroner calls for publication of suicide toll in newspapers
Date: 22 July 2010
Outlet: The Australian
Synopsis: Covers debates sparked by a State Coroners proposal for newspapers to publish suicide statistics in the same way they update the road toll.
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Title:
State Coroner wants an open debate on suicide
Date: 20 July 2010
Outlet: Adelaide Now
Synopsis: A State Coroner suggests a victims-of-suicide toll similar to the official road toll could help prevent deaths in South Australia.
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Title: June was worst month for Army suicides, statistics show
Date:
16 July 2010
Outlet: CNN
Synopsis: More US soldiers have completed suicide in the month of June 2010, the highest number in a single month since the Vietnam era. The US Army has released an updated suicide prevention video that encourages soldiers to get help.
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Title: Suicide policies needed
Date: 14 July 2010
Outlet: Sydney Star Observer
Synopsis: Covers comments arising from the recent national inquiry into suicide pertaining to GLBTIQ communities.
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Title: Boyce fights for mental health
Date: 14 July 2010
Outlet: The Morning Bulletin
Synopsis: Reports on Senator Sue Boyce's comments on suicide prevention funding made during her visit to Rockhampton.
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Title:
Terrible legacy of grief
Date: 9 July 2010
Outlet: Centralian Advocate
Synopsis: New research says the colonisation of Australia has left a terrible legacy of mental illness among Aboriginal people.
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Title: Call for target to cut suicide
Date: 8 July 2010
Outlet: The Australian
Synopsis: Australian of the Year, Patrick McGorry has urged Julia Gillard to unveil a new mental health policy to take to the election.
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Title: Gay ban at campsite before tribuinal
Date: 6 July 2010
Outlet: News Limited
Synopsis: WayOut, a same sex attracted support group for young people, have appealed to the Victorian Civil Adminstrative Tribunal after their application to use camping facilities managed by the Christian Brethren for a suicide prevention program was turned down in 2007.
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Title: Battling the blues with a golden glow is all the go
Date: 30 June 2010
Outlet: NT News
Synopsis: A local tanning salon raised money for Lifeline Australia on the 4 July to go towards suicide prevention.
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Title:
Tassie seeks new prison telephone system
Date: 29 June 2010
Outlet: ZD Net
Synopsis: Reports on a request for tender put out by the Tasmanian Department of Justice for a new telecommunications system to be installed in Tasmanian prisons. This phone system will allow monitoring of call content with the aim of, amongst other things, monitoring for prisoner safety and possible suicide risk.
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Title: Suicide - prevention groups say the need is desperate
Date: 28 June 2010
Outlet: The Sydney Morning Herald
Synopsis: Focuses on the Senate committee report on suicide prevention and the provision of mental health funding.
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Title: More frontline training needed for suicide prevention
Date: 28 June 2010
Outlet: ABC News
Synopsis: Focuses on the Senate committee report on suicide prevention recommendation that greater community involvement is needed to be more effective in identifying those who may be at risk of suicide.
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Title: NSW Suicide Prevention Strategy released for public consultation
Date: 23 June 2010
Outlet: NSW Government press release
Synopsis: The draft NSW Suicide Preventoin Strategy for the next five years has been released for public consultation. The Strategy, which follows the Living Is For Everyone (LIFE) Framework focuses on six key action areas.
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Title:
Depressed teens lacking treatment, expert says
Date: June 1, 2010
Outlet: Sydney Morning Herald
Synopsis: This article discusses suicide prevention expert Michael Dudley's claim that teenagers may be dying by suicide because they are not getting access to potentially life-saving antidepressant medications.
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Title:
Gambling linked to one in five suicidal patients
Date: April 21, 2010
Outlet: The Age
Synopsis: This article discusses a study undertaken by the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, which claims almost one in five suicidal patients seen by The Alfred hospital's emergency department is a problem gambler.
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Title: 'Suicide' queries prompt Google to offer hotline
Date: April 4, 2010
Outlet: New York Times
Synopsis: This article reports on how Google-based web searches in the U.S. that include the term 'suicide' now load the number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
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Title: Suicide cases cause for concern
Date: April 1, 2010
Outlet: The Australian
Synopsis: This story provides a brief overview of the revised Australian Bureau of Statistics figures on suicide death in Australia.
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Title: Suicide shouldn't be a taboo subject
Date: April 1, 2010
Outlet: Sydney Morning Herald
Synopsis: Lifeline Australia director John Brogden discusses his own experience of suicidality and the recently revised ABS statistics for deaths by suicide.
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Title:
Weighing up the risks of reporting suicide
Date: February 16, 2010
Outlet: ABC: The Drum
Synopsis: This story discusses some of the issues relating to Australian of the Year Patrick McGorry's recent calls for a softening of the media guidelines for reporting suicide.
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Title:
Australian study of suicide shows cultural differences
Date: February 9, 2010
Outlet: People's Daily Online
Synopsis: This story discusses an Australian study that argues Indian youths may be more likely to follow through on their suicidal thoughts than Australian or Italian youths.
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Title:
Waitress's suicide puts focus on media
Date: February 9, 2010
Outlet: ABC Online
Synopsis: This story discusses youth mental health expert Professor Patrick McGorry's suggestion that suicide reporting media guidelines may be too conservative in light of the coverage of the recent death by suicide of Melbourne waitress Brodie Panlock.
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Title: Fixing the Gap
Date: January 8, 2010
Outlet: The 7:30 Report
Synopsis: This story discusses the Woollahra Council's plans to upgrade safety measures at The Gap, a famous tourist location in Sydney's East.
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Title: Suicide can be stopped: Lifeline's message
Date: January 5, 2010
Outlet: The Sydney Morning Herald
Synopsis: This story highlights new research undertaken by Lifeline Australia revealing that one quarter of surveyed adults reportedly believe suicide is "not preventable."
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Title: Research on suicide detailed by scientists at Charles Darwin University
Date: January 4, 2010
Outlet: NewsRx
Synopsis: This story discusses new research analysing suicide data in the Northern Territory between 2001 and 2006.
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Title: Christmas suicide risk
Date: December 18, 2009
Outlet: AM (ABC Radio)
Synopsis: This is a transcript of a story about suicide risk in young men in the lead up to Christmas.
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Title:
The stigma of mental illness
Date: November 15, 2009
Outlet: The Guardian
Synopsis: This opinion piece discusses stigma-related issues regarding mental illness in the context of the recent death by suicide of German goalkeeper Robert Enke.
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Title:
Suicide Toll Fuels Worry That Army Is Strained
Date: November 3, 2009
Outlet: The Wall Street Journal
Synopsis: Discusses the high number of American soldiers who have recently died by suicide and subsequent mental health concerns regarding the nation's military personnel.
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Title: Bullied teen's death preventable: inquest
Date: October 21, 2009
Outlet: ninemsn
Synopsis: Reports on the inquest being held into the suicide of a 14 year old boy. The boy was subject to bullying at school prior to his suicide.
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Title: Suicide victims remembered
Date: September 15, 2009
Outlet: Noosa News
Synopsis: Reports on the candlelight vigil and the local Standby Support Service, which provides support for those who have been bereaved by suicide.
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Title: Mixed message on young adult deaths: Global mortality report
Date: September 12, 2009
Outlet: The Australian
Synopsis: Reports on mortality of young people, causes of which include suicide.
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Title: WA moves to tackle suicide rate
Date: September 10, 2009
Outlet: ABC News
Synopsis: This article reports on the WA government's new suicide prevention approach, and features responses to the plan from various stakeholders.
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Title: World Suicide Prevention Day: 10 September 2009
Date: September 9, 2009
Outlet: Scoop Independent News
Synopsis: Summarises some of the key concerns regarding suicide and refers to a press release from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry in response to World Suicide Prevention Day 2009.
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Title: Schools must do better to ensure physical and emotional well-being of students
Date: September 8, 2009
Outlet: Examiner
Synopsis: This article argues that schools need to do more to promote students' physical and emotional health and presents two cases of young boys who were victims of school bullying and llater completed suicide.
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Title: Girl's death linked to cyber bullying
Date: July 21, 2009
Outlet: NineMSN
Synopsis: This article discusses the suicide of a 14-year-old student of Geelong's Western Heights College, who became the fourth current or former student there to take their life in the past six months.
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Title:
More suicides uncovered among overseas students
Date: July 2, 2009
Outlet: The Sydney Morning Herald
Synopsis: This article discusses the growing pattern of suicides among international students in Australia, and the calls being made for better reporting systems for their deaths.
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Title:
Decreasing suicide rate may rebound: psychologists
Date: June 8, 2009
Outlet: Lateline (ABC)
Synopsis: This story discusses the huge reduction in Australia’s suicide rate over the past decade, which the program labels 'an extraordinary public health achievement' that has 'received little publicity.' Reporter John Stewart goes on to explore the possibility that amid bad economic times the suicide rate may begin to climb again. Stewart speaks to Anna Mckenzie (Reach Out project manager), Professor Ian Hickie and Melbourne University student Doug Millen.
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Title:
Workload blamed for junior doctor's suicide
Date: 13 March 2009
Publication: ABC News
Synopsis: This article discusses the recent suicide of a junior doctor from Wagga Wagga. The doctor's friends blame the strenous hospital working conditions for the young man's suicide. Experts from the Australian Medical Association say this is not an isolated case.
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Title:
Magistrate implicates agencies in van suicide
Date: 21 January 2009
Publication: The Canberra Times
Synopsis: This article discusses the recent suicide of a Canberra woman (who was discovered dead in the back of a prison van) in the context of Magistrate Grant Lalor’s claims that there had been 'a critical failure in the flow of information between agencies in the justice system.'
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Title:
No one to watch over him
Date: 1 November 2008
Publication: The Age
Synopsis: This article discusses the death of Bayden Smith, a 47-year-old Australian man who died by suicide after being assessed as ‘low-risk’ by two emergency mental health workers.
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Title:
Fewer committing suicide but elderly men at greatest risk
Date: 1 August 2008
Publication: The Australian
Synopsis: This article looks at the falling national suicide rate and the greater risk prevalent in men - particularly elderly men - of dying by suicide. It also incorporates information about the new Living Is For Everyone (LIFE) Framework.
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Title:
Nine broke rules on girl suicide report
Date: 4 June 2008
Publication: Herald Sun
Synopsis: A 60 MINUTES program about two Melbourne teenage girls who died by suicide has breached regulatory safeguards for suicide reporting, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found.
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StigmaWatch
SANE StigmaWatch monitors media portrayals of mental illness and suicide, to ensure they are accurate and respectful. It takes the media to task when these topics are covered inaccurately or irresponsibly, and – through the ‘Good News’ area – congratulates them on good coverage. If you would like to report inaccurate or inappropriate coverage of mental illness or suicide in the media - be it TV, radio, magazine, print or advertising - contact StigmaWatch at:
www.sane.org.au
SANE Australia
PO Box
226
South Melbourne
VIC 3205
media@sane.org.au