Inquiry into Suicide in Australia
Terms of reference
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On 10 September 2009 the Senate referred
the following matter to the Community Affairs References Committee for
inquiry and report by the last sitting day in April 2010:
The impact of
suicide on the Australian community including high risk groups such as
Indigenous youth and rural communities, with particular reference to:
-
the personal, social and
financial costs of suicide in Australia;
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the accuracy of
suicide reporting in Australia, factors that may impede accurate
identification and recording of possible suicides, (and the consequences
of any under-reporting on understanding risk factors and providing
services to those at risk);
-
the appropriate
role and effectiveness of agencies, such as police, emergency departments,
law enforcement and general health services in assisting people at risk of
suicide;
-
the
effectiveness, to date, of public awareness programs and their relative
success in providing information, encouraging help-seeking and enhancing
public discussion of suicide;
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the efficacy of
suicide prevention training and support for front-line health and
community workers providing services to people at risk;
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the role of
targeted programs and services that address the particular circumstances
of high-risk groups;
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the adequacy of
the current program of research into suicide and suicide prevention, and
the manner in which findings are disseminated to practitioners and
incorporated into government policy; and
-
the effectiveness of the
National Suicide Prevention Strategy in achieving its aims and objectives,
and any barriers to its progress.
The Committee is seeking written submissions from interested individuals
and organisations preferably sent electronically by email to
community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au as an attached PDF or Word format
document. The email must include full postal address and contact details.
Alternatively written submissions may be sent to:
Committee Secretary
Senate Community Affairs References Committee
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Due to the considerable interest generated by this inquiry, the
Committee is continuing to receive submissions throughout the inquiry.
Submissions become
Committee documents and are made public only after a decision by the
Committee. Publication of submissions includes loading them onto the
internet and their being available to other interested parties including
the media. Persons making submissions must not release them without the
approval of the Committee. Submissions are covered by parliamentary
privilege but the unauthorised release of them is not protected.
Information relating to Senate Committee inquiries, including notes to
assist in the preparation of submissions for a Committee, can be located
on the internet at https://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/wit_sub/index.htm.
For
further details please contact the Committee Secretariat by
phone: (02) 6277 3515, fax: (02) 6277 5829 or email
to
community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au.
Enquiries from hearing and speech impaired people should be
directed to Parliament House TTY number 02 6277 7799. Adobe also provides
tools at
http://access.adobe.com/ for the blind and visually impaired to access PDF
documents. If you require any special arrangements to enable you to
participate in the Committee's inquiry, please contact the Secretariat.
For further information, contact:
Committee Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Community Affairs
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia