Statistics revealed today by the coroner show that suicide in New Zealand is at its highest since provisional statistics were first recorded in 07/08, with young people aged 20 to 24 the age cohort most effected. Māori rates are the highest since records began.
Green Party Youth spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick said, “These are not just statistics. Each number is a life of an incredible person with whānau and friends who’ll be experiencing immense loss.
“This is a heart-breaking crisis, and one that is ripping through communities, disproportionately among our young people and among Māori.
“We urgently must do more to protect our people, provide them with an environment where they feel they can speak about their experiences, and provide fit for purpose and culturally appropriate mental health services. That looks like responding to community need, and backing the organisations already overstretched to deliver services at frontlines.
“I’ve been travelling around the regions this week at the top of the South and have visited front line services where the demand is immense, but as we’re finding, there’s still too many people who feel they can’t reach out for help.
“We need to come together as communities to ensure people feel comfortable and supported, we need to speak to our own experiences of mental health so others are given license to do the same, we need to be there for each other.
“The mental health enquiry report is due in October, and it could not come soon enough. We look forward to working constructively both inside and outside Parliament to deliver the best possible services for people of all demographics across this country"
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