COTA SA supports the proposed direction of the new Plan and particularly welcomes its strong emphasis on prevention and wellbeing, social and economic determinants, equity, community leadership and lived and living experience. These priorities align strongly with issues raised in COTA SA’s previous submissions on mental health and wellbeing and suicide prevention, and the Rainbow Hub’s Rainbow Dog project recommendations.

Our principal concern is that age remains insufficiently visible as a risk factor.

The consultation paper recognises that suicide risk and suicide-related distress are not experienced equally and identifies a number of populations requiring stronger focus, including men, First Nations, rural and remote communities, LGBTIQA+ communities and people with disability. Age, too, can be a significant factor, and should be acknowledged. The needs of this population are recognised within the

National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement, and recent data reinforces the particular risk experienced by older men. In 2024, Australian men aged 85 years and over had the highest age-specific suicide rate of any male age group, at 31.2 deaths per 100,000. Men aged 60–64 experienced the largest increase in their age-specific suicide rate between 2023 and 2024. (Australian Bureau of Statistics).

Summary of recommendations

1. Recognise older people as a population requiring stronger focus, with particular attention to older men and the intersection of ageing with living regionally, disability, caring, LGBTIQA+ identity, veteran status and other risk factors.
2. Broaden the focus on major life transitions, including retirement and involuntary workforce exit, bereavement, becoming a carer, declining health and mobility, loss of a driver’s licence, housing change and entry into aged care.
3. Put community connection at the centre of prevention, particularly for older men and older people in regional and rural communities, using trusted community settings and activities to build connection and identify distress before crisis.
4. Recognise place and community disruption as important determinants, including the potentially disproportionate impact of events such as drought, bushfire and events such as the algal bloom and potential bird flu impacts on older people in regional communities.
5. Include older people in lived experience, data and evaluation, including through age-disaggregated reporting, visibility in terms of imagery used in communications, and the meaningful participation of older people in the design and evaluation of initiatives.

COTA SA supports the proposed direction of the South Australian Suicide Prevention Plan 2027–2032.

We encourage the application of an ageing lens across all priority groups. In particular, the suicide rate among older men requires greater visibility and attention. At the same time, many of the factors the proposed Plan seeks to strengthen—connection, belonging, purpose, economic security, participation and compassionate communities—are particularly important to ageing well.