Suicide Prevention Australia, the national peak body for suicide prevention, welcomes the Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s announcement today that, if elected, the Coalition Government will reinstate the Suicide Prevention Research Fund (SPRF).
The SPRF, which has supported world-class research since 2018, will be defunded by the Albanese Government from 1 July 2025 despite research being identified as a critical enabler in the recently released National Suicide Prevention Strategy. Without ongoing funding, vital projects investigating suicide prevention pathways risk being stalled or lost entirely.
The announcement comes alongside the release of a new report, From Insight to Impact – How the Suicide Prevention Research Fund Creates Knowledge to Save Lives. The report highlights the life-saving impact of the SPRF, which has funded 94 PhD Scholarships and Post-Doctoral Fellowships across 27 universities, enabling world-leading research into suicide risk factors, prevention strategies, and real-world interventions.
Suicide Prevention Australia CEO, Nieves Murray, said the announcement puts suicide prevention on the election stage and commends the Opposition for committing to implement part of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
“Today’s commitment from the Coalition signals that suicide prevention must be at the core of our national agenda.
“Suicide prevention research is not an optional extra — it is fundamental to ensuring the success of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. The Suicide Prevention Research Fund has been instrumental in shaping evidence-based policies, interventions, and community support programs that directly reduce suicide risk.
“We cannot afford to roll back investment in suicide prevention at a time when distress levels remain high, particularly among young people. Our latest Community Tracker revealed that nearly one in five (19%) young Australians (18-34) have experienced suicidal distress in the last 12 months, including having serious thoughts of suicide, making a suicide plan, or attempting to take their life,” said Ms Murray.
From tackling suicide and self-harm in a remote prison, to harnessing the power of the internet in suicide prevention efforts and developing better care pathways for people who self-harm – research supported by the SPRF has delivered real-world impact, informing policy, service delivery, and frontline interventions.
“The report speaks for itself – the Research Fund is saving lives,” said Ms Murray. “Defunding it flies in the face of the government’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
“The Coalition’s commitment to reinstating the Research Fund if elected is a step in the right direction, but we now call on the Albanese Government to reverse its decision and ensure suicide prevention is prioritised in this election.
“This is about more than just funding research – it’s about ensuring that we have the evidence base to deliver the most effective suicide prevention strategies so that we can reduce deaths by suicide in Australia,” said Ms Murray.
Suicide Prevention Australia urges bipartisan support to reinstate the SPRF and ensure the National Suicide Prevention Strategy is fully implemented and funded.
To get help 24/7, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, phone 000 for emergency services.
Help to report about suicide safely is available online: Go to https://mindframe.org.au/
Media enquiries:
Amelia Hew 0410 591 134 or ameliah@suicidepreventionaust.org
About Suicide Prevention Australia
Suicide Prevention Australia is the national peak body and we’ve been providing support for Australia’s suicide prevention sector for more than 30 years. We support and advocate for our members to drive continual improvement in suicide prevention policy, programs and services. Our reach is broad, including member organisations, governments, businesses, researchers, practitioners and those with lived experience. We are focused on an integrated approach to suicide prevention encompassing mental health, social, economic and community factors. We believe that through collaborative effort and shared purpose, we can achieve our vision of a world without suicide.
