LiFE Awards

In 2023, Suicide Prevention Australia will be celebrating the 20th Annual LiFE Awards recognising excellence in suicide prevention.

This prestigious national event attracts diverse nominations with an interest in suicide prevention and support of those affected by suicide across Australia.

Nominations are received from all over Australia, and every year we are overwhelmed by the number of quality nominations showcasing the important and innovative work that many Australians are doing in the prevention of suicide and support of people affected by suicide.

Nominees typically range from mainstream programs to community-based organisations and dedicated individuals. The awards celebrate the commitment and energy of the nominees and their vital contribution to the reduction of suicide within our communities.

Each and every submission is important to help showcase the important work around Australia.

Submit a nomination
LiFE Awards

2022 LiFE Awards National Winners with Suicide Prevention Australia CEO, Nieves Murray at Parliament House, Canberra.

State and Territory LiFE Award Categories

Outstanding Contribution

The Outstanding Contribution Award recognises individuals or organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to address, prevent, or respond to suicidal behaviours and their impact on people, families, communities, and the Australian population.

Communities in Action

Every day, local communities, organisations and individuals across the country are doing incredible things, often in a voluntary capacity with limited access to resources. Despite the challenges, they achieve significant and meaningful change in suicide prevention.

The Communities in Action Award recognises a community campaign, event, or community training initiative that has taken action to address, prevent, or respond to suicidal behaviours and their impact on the local community. The focus of this award is community led initiatives. In this category, a community can be a physical location, a cultural community or a community of interest such as a sports club.

Workplace

The Workplace Award recognises a business or employer that promotes suicide prevention in the workplace or demonstrates an active contribution to address, prevent, or respond to suicidal behaviours and their impact within the community more broadly.

Priority Populations

The Priority Populations Award recognises initiatives to address, prevent, or respond to suicidal behaviours with populations and groups disproportionately affected by suicide.  Populations or groups disproportionately affected by suicide include Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTIQ+ communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, men, and young people.

National LiFE Award Categories

After State and Territory judging is complete, recipients of the State and Territory LiFE Awards will be assessed and may be invited to nominate for the National LiFE Awards in the following categories:

Leadership

An individual or organisation that has demonstrated consistent leadership to shine a light on suicide prevention.  The National Leadership Award recognises individuals or organisations who have demonstrated leadership to address, prevent, or respond to suicidal behaviours and their impact, through collaboration.

Demonstrate leadership and collaboration in working towards a world without suicide and demonstrated commitment to the Suicide Prevention Australia Constitution.

Innovation

An individual or organisation that has demonstrated innovation to address, prevent, or respond to suicidal behaviours and their impact, and delivers quality processes informed by evidence.

Demonstrate the initiative or activity is high-quality, effective and aligns with best practice suicide prevention or postvention and demonstrated commitment to the Suicide Prevention Australia Constitution.

Impact

An individual or organisation that demonstrates impact in the prevention of suicidal behaviours, strategically developed and demonstrates scalability.

Demonstration of impact to address, prevent, or respond to suicidal behaviours and demonstrated commitment to the Suicide Prevention Australia Constitution.

2023 Recipients

National recipients

Impact Category (Highly Commended)

Lifeline Queensland (13YARN)

Impact Category

Karen Phillips, Former General Manager, StandBy Support after Suicide

Innovation Category

Vicki McKenna, Head of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived Experience Network, Black Dog Institute

State and Territory Recipients

State and Territory Category: Priority Populations

Health in Gear Program (OzHelp), ACT

Lifeline Queensland (13YARN), QLD

Vicki McKenna, Head of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived Experience Network, WA

State and Territory Category: Workplace

Shayne Connell, CEO, LivingWorks Australia, NSW

Strong Minds, Strong Mines, WA

Fulton Hogan, VIC

State and Territory Category: Outstanding Contribution

Christine Morgan, CEO, National Mental Health Commission, NSW

Karen Phillips, General Manager, StandBy Support after Suicide, QLD

Soa Palelei, Wellness Ambassador, Strong Minds, Strong Mines, WA

State and Territory Category: Communities in Action

Leesa Mountford, Founder, I Got You, ACT

Sabrina’s Reach4Life, NT

Jamie Mallinder, Marsh/Independent Community Advocate, WA

State and Territory Category: Recipients from Tasmania

Tracey Martin-Cole, Mental Health Council Tasmania – Outstanding Contribution to Suicide Prevention

Stronger Together in Circular Head (STICH) – Lifeline Communities in Action for Suicide Prevention

Jasmine Ellis, SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY! – Outstanding Contribution to Suicide Prevention by a Young Person

Grumpy Goats Co Care Farm, Newport and Wildman – Innovative Practice and Research

Simplot – Ulverstone site, TasNetworks – Best Practice in Suicide Prevention by a Workplace

Previous Recipients

Leadership

Innovation

Impact

Scientia Professor Helen Christensen AO

ifarmwell.com, UniSA

PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia)

Communities in Action

Hoops 4 Health, Northern Territory

Happiness Co, Western Australia

Outstanding Contribution

Professor Helen Christensen AO, New South Wales

Edie Weiss, Grape Vine Group, Queensland

AnglicareSA, South Australia

Priority Populations

Parents Beyond Breakup, New South Wales

Leilani Darwin, Black Dog Institute, Queensland

ifarmwell (University of South Australia), South Australia

PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia), Victoria

Workplace

Lifeline Macarthur and Western Sydney with the Lifeline Mobile Café initiative, New South Wales

Mackay Regional Council, Queensland

Leadership

Innovation

Impact

Alan Woodward

#ChatSafe, Associate Professor Jo Robinson, Orygen

Associate Professor Maree Toombs

Communities in Action

The Illawarra Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention Collaborative (the Collaborative), New South Wales

The Sons of the West (run by the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation), Victoria

Rotary Club of Gladstone Port Curtis – Project We Care, Queensland

The Learning from Lived Experience Project (LfLE), South Australia

City of Rockingham, Western Australia

Outstanding Contribution

Alan Woodward, New South Wales

Laurencia Grant, Northern Territory

Alison Kelly, Queensland

Soa Palelei (Strong Minds, Strong Mines), Western Australia

Priority Populations

#chatsafe, Victoria

Helen Lambert (The Little Red Threat Book), Northern Territory

Maree Toombs, Queensland

CYPRESS Program, Western Australia

Lifetime Achievement Award

Emerging Researcher

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Award

Communities Matter – Organisation 

Communities Matter – Individual

Media 

Workplace

Hon. John Dawkins MLC

Dr Zac Seidler

Dr Lynore Geia

Grapevine Group

Lindy MacGregor

SANE Australia – Better Off With You Campaign

Ambulance Tasmania

Leadership Award

Emerging Researcher

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Award

Communities Matter – Organisation 

Communities Matter – Individual

Media 

Workplace

Brendan Maher

Dr Angela Nicholas

Tony Lee

Jewish Care

Justin Geange

Illawarra Mercury

Hydro Tasmania

Leadership Award

Emerging Researcher

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Award

Communities Matter – Organisation 

Communities Matter – Individual

Media 

Workplace

Jorgen Gullestrup

Alison Kennedy

Babana Aboriginal

Far North Queensland Suicide Prevention Taskforce

Joe Williams

Dannielle Miller

Huon Aquaculture