‘Enough is enough’: 121 Indigenous Victorians have died by suicide in the past five years

What it is about

Who published it, and when

How it spread - 57 original reports, 7 reprints

1. Tue, 25 August 2026

   1 report
   • The Guardian World07:06first to report
     ‘Enough is enough’: 121 Indigenous Victorians have died by suicide in the past five years

     Royal commission recommended First Nations healing centres in 2021 but the Indigenous health service says the state has ‘done nothing’ to fund it Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast On the steps of Victorian parliament stood 121 empty chairs, marking the number of Indigenous lives lost to suicide in the state in the past five years. All of these deaths, the state’s peak body for Aboriginal health said, came after...

2. Tue, 1 September 2026

   1 report
   • ABC News (Australia)07:34
     'Toxic' workplace led to bungled rollout of health IT system, NT inquiry finds

     A parliamentary inquiry has released its report into the Northern Territory's $335 million Acacia IT health patient record system, finding the culture within an NT government department contributed to the project's failings.

3. Thu, 3 September 2026

   1 report
   • ABC News (Australia)19:39
     Mental health patient died by suicide before having medication review

     The revelations have emerged as Queensland Health's mental health services are under increasing scrutiny over resourcing and the number of patients dying by suicide.

4. Mon, 7 September 2026

   1 report
   • ABC News (Australia)07:38
     Mum of five repeatedly begged for medication in custody, inquest hears

     A First Nations mother of five repeatedly begged prison officials for her medications and was discharged from hospital after a suicide attempt without a mental health review, a coronial inquest heard today. The inquest will look at whether the healthcare she received met community standards.

5. Sat, 12 September 2026

   2 reports
   • ABC News (Australia)00:32
     Patient dies after forgotten referral, Victorian shadow minister says

     A Mildura hospital that relies on paper records is undertaking a review after reports of fatal delays in patient triage.

   • ABC News (Australia)03:12edited after publishing
     Mother's search for help before son's suicide sparks call for change

     previouslyTeen's death sparks call for 'hard conversations' around suicide risk

     In the jurisdiction with Australia's highest suicide rate, a mother's desperate search for help before her son's death has sparked calls for change.

6. Mon, 14 September 2026

   2 reports
   • ABC News (Australia)05:33edited after publishing
     Girl dies after suspected overdose in Qld state care

     previouslyTeenager dies after suspected overdose in Qld state care

     A girl has died following a suspected drug overdose in Queensland state care.

   • ABC News (Australia)22:03
     Fitzroy Crossing calls for stronger FASD support

     Aboriginal leaders in WA's north have urged the state government to provide more support for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

7. Tue, 15 September 2026

   2 reports
   • oberonreview.com.au06:29edited after publishing
     Judge rules two-year-old girl's hospital death was 'wholly preventable', recommendations made

     previouslyJudge rules four-year-old girl's hospital death was 'wholly preventable', recommendations made

     Pippa White died at Orange Hospital on June 13, 2022.

   • ABC News (Australia)07:31
     Mother's videos of dying toddler may be used to train junior doctors

     The mother of two-year-old Pippa White, who died in a NSW Hospital after diagnosis and treatment delays has welcomed the prospect of videos of her symptoms being used to train doctors.

8. Sat, 19 September 2026

   1 report
   • irishexaminer.com05:00
     Pregnant women and new mothers with mental health difficulties are 'falling through the cracks'

     The Maternal Death Enquiry (MDE) reported that suicide was the leading cause of deaths among women in the year after giving birth

9. Mon, 21 September 2026

   1 report
   • ABC News (Australia)08:06
     Woman given 'too many drugs, too little care' before death, coroner finds

     Northern Territory Coroner Elisabeth Armitage has found a Hermannsburg mother-of-three was given "too many drugs and too little care" before her preventable death at the Alice Springs Hospital in 2023.

10. Tue, 22 September 2026

    1 report
    • ABC News (Australia)19:53
      The isolated final months of a Brisbane anaesthetist and her eight-year-old child

      Queensland's education department has declined to elaborate on action taken while a coronial investigation continues into Clementine's death alongside her mother, anaesthetist Tiffany Wilkes, who allegedly took her own life.

11. Wed, 23 September 2026

    1 report
    • ABC News (Australia)04:54
      Police investigating 'absolutely tragic' death of baby found in Ballarat

      The head of a Victorian family support service in Ballarat says the death of baby girl in Ballarat is "absolutely tragic".

12. Fri, 25 September 2026

    1 report
    • ABC News (Australia)08:17
      Father rejects coroner's conclusion on newborn son's death

      A Queensland father says he will seek to have the findings of an inquest into his five-day-old son's death set aside.

13. Sun, 27 September 2026

    1 report
    • The Guardian World04:39edited after publishing
      AFL grand final breaks TV audience records – as it happened

      previouslyAustralia news live: AFL grand final breaks records; Marles defends army barracks sell-off amid controversy

      This blog is now closed. Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Deaths in Queensland child protection system reach five-year high Queensland has recorded a five-year high of 92 deaths in the child protection system, according to new data. The real alarm bell that was set off this week is the fact that the only reason we knew about this breach of the Medicare archive or data system is because OpenAI told us there was a breach. If they hadn’t told us that there was a breach,...

14. Mon, 28 September 2026

    3 reports
    • ABC News (Australia)05:45
      Qld opposition says premier needs to 'front up' after child deaths report

      The Queensland Family and Child Commission's annual report reveals 452 children died in the last financial year, with preliminary figures showing 91 of those children were known to the child protection system.

    • ABC News (Australia)06:40
      Inquest hears Qld mum felt 'dismissed' by doctors after asking for C-section

      A coronial inquest into the death of newborn Alby Spreadborough has heard evidence from his parents and a doctor.

    • perthnow.com.au17:33
      Most Australians unprepared to lose loved ones

      About two-thirds of Australians haven't discussed their end-of-life wishes with family as palliative care researchers say the worst time to plan is in a crisis.

15. Tue, 29 September 2026

    1 report
    • ABC News (Australia)19:45
      Six Qld babies die in three years after contracting syphilis in the womb

      New Queensland Health data shows 55 pregnant women have been diagnosed with the sexually transmitted disease so far this year.

16. Wed, 30 September 2026

    4 reports
    • ABC News (Australia)07:29
      'Jenni's legacy': Father calls for change after daughter dies with anorexia

      The father of a young woman with anorexia nervosa has implored the state government to adopt a coroner's recommendations for improved eating disorder services to spare other families the same grief.

    • ABC News (Australia)20:09
      'What are they hiding?' Advocate calls on SA premier to release child death review

      A prominent child protection advocate has accused the South Australian premier of breaking a promise, after his department refused to release the findings of a review into the deaths of two children.

    • ABC News (Australia)20:37
      Mother demands answers after traumatic birth at Queanbeyan Hospital

      A mother who experienced a traumatic birth at the Queanbeyan Hospital says her daughter could have died due to care failures during her labour.

    • ABC News (Australia)22:05
      Family of girl who died of suspected overdose in state care demands answers

      The girl's parents told the ABC police informed them their daughter died of a suspected overdose, but they are yet to receive a written explanation from the Department of Child Safety.

17. Sun, 4 October 2026

    1 report
    • ABC News (Australia)20:39
      Queensland mother seeks to force inquest into daughter's 2023 Kakadu death

      Jessica Stephens's mother Karon Evans has applied for court orders that would force the Northern Territory coroner to hold an inquest into her death in Kakadu National Park after being discharged from Royal Darwin Hospital in 2023.

18. Thu, 8 October 2026

    1 report
    • ABC News (Australia)05:59
      Aged care waitlist deaths jump amid funding backlog for 100,000

      More than 6,400 older Australians died while waiting to receive home care last year, an increase of more than a third on the previous year.

19. Fri, 9 October 2026

    1 report
    • ABC News (Australia)05:38edited after publishing
      Premier says new information on Hawke children deaths should be considered

      previouslyNew evidence in Hawke murders could lead to coronial inquest

      The WA premier says details released in a statement by the WA Ombudsman could lead to a coronial inquest into the deaths of the three Hawke children in 2022.

20. Mon, 12 October 2026

    3 reports
    • ABC News (Australia)01:07
      Woman dies after alleged assault in trouble-stricken NT community

      Detectives are travelling to the isolated community of Alpurrurulam in the remote Northern Territory, near the Queensland border, after a woman’s suspicious death.

    • ABC News (Australia)05:19
      Coroner begins hearing from witnesses in Elizabeth Struhs inquest

      A Queensland coroner will begin examining whether more could have been done to prevent the death of Elizabeth Struhs in 2022.

    • The Guardian World11:28
      Doctor warned Elizabeth Struhs would not be safe years before sect killed her by withdrawing medicine

      Inquest hears paediatricians pleaded with child safety for action to protect the eight-year-old from her parents and other Toowoomba sect members Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A specialist child safety doctor was “stonewalled” by a child safety officer after repeatedly warning that Elizabeth Struhs would not be safe living with her mother, years before her parents allowed her to die by withdrawing lifesaving medicine, a coronial inquest has heard. Elizabeth...

21. Tue, 13 October 2026

    2 reports
    • The Guardian World08:53
      Child safety staff determined to send Elizabeth Struhs home with parents despite doctors’ concerns, inquest hears

      Queensland coronial inquest into death of eight-year-old girl continues after 14 members of religious sect were convicted of her manslaughter Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast It was impossible to change the mind of child safety staff after they had decided to send Elizabeth Struhs home with her parents despite some of her doctors’ concerns, a police officer has told a coronial inquest into the young girl’s death. Child safety staff decided in 2019 that it would be...

    • ABC News (Australia)18:28
      Death investigated after ambulance not available for medical emergency

      An investigation has been launched after a man died shortly after his family drove him to the Royal Hobart Hospital because no ambulances were available.

22. Wed, 14 October 2026

    5 reports
    • ABC News (Australia)04:32
      Warning signs missed before Melbourne girl’s death in ED, coroner finds

      The Victorian coroner says doctors at Monash Medical Centre missed opportunities to save the life of 8-year-old Amrita Lanka in 2022.

    • ABC News (Australia)06:23
      Inmate died after waiting 305 days for help, NSW coroner finds

      A lengthy wait for support in a NSW prison where two mental health nurses are responsible for 700 inmates likely contributed to the death 2023 death of Alexander Gavranic, a coroner has found.

    • ABC News (Australia)07:13
      Inquest into 3yo's death hears experts pushed for pool safety changes

      The Northern Territory Coroner is examining the drowning death of a three-year-old boy found face down in the family's backyard pool by his father in 2025, putting the territory's pool safety laws under the microscope.

    • cessnockadvertiser.com.au07:53
      Child safety 'misunderstood' cult before girl's death

      A child safety officer did not fully understand diabetes or the anti-medical beliefs held by the mother of...

      5 reprints

      • narrominenewsonline.com.au14 Oct, 07:53their copy
      • thecourier.com.au14 Oct, 07:53their copy
      • naroomanewsonline.com.au14 Oct, 07:53their copy
      • camdencourier.com.au14 Oct, 07:53their copy
      • mandurahmail.com.au14 Oct, 07:53their copy
    • The Guardian World08:08
      Child safety officer incorrectly assessed Elizabeth Struhs as ‘safe’ day after she was admitted to hospital in coma

      Inquest into death of eight-year-old Queensland girl who was denied insulin by her religious parents told her case was complex Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A child safety officer incorrectly assessed Elizabeth Struhs as “safe” one day after she arrived at hospital in a coma and nearly died due to the neglect of her parents, a coroner’s court has heard. A Queensland coronial inquest heard evidence on Wednesday from one of the two child safety officers who...

23. Thu, 15 October 2026

    3 reports
    • The Guardian World06:32
      Doctors treating Elizabeth Struhs recommended involuntary mental health assessment of her mother, coroner hears

      Inquest into death of Queensland girl denied insulin by her religious parents is told Kerrie Struhs believed God would heal her daughter Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Doctors were so concerned about the religious beliefs of Elizabeth Struhs’ mother they recommended she be subjected to an involuntary mental health assessment because she delusionally believed her daughter would be healed from type 1 diabetes, a coroner has heard. Child safety officers, nonetheless,...

    • ABC News (Australia)09:28
      Review ordered after man dies waiting two hours for ambulance

      The 53-year-old man called for help after experiencing chest pains but was dead by the time paramedics arrived.

    • iDNES (Czechia)21:01
      Volali v Austrálii na tísňovou linku marně. Při čekání na pomoc zemřeli

      Úřady ve státě Queensland na severovýchodě Austrálie začaly vyšetřovat samostatné případy dvou pacientů, kteří v uplynulém týdnu zemřeli při čekání na lékařskou péči. Třiapadesátiletý muž, který pociťoval bolesti na hrudi, zavolal v sobotu večer na tísňovou linku 000 ze svého domu v Annerley na předměstí města Brisbane.

      1 reprint

      • iRozhlas (Czechia)15 Oct, 20:35their copy
24. Fri, 16 October 2026

    6 reports
    • ABC News (Australia)01:37
      Family of man who died waiting for ambulance learnt of delays through the media

      Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls says the 53-year-old's family learnt of delays to his care through the media on Thursday.

    • ABC News (Australia)03:27
      Family welcomes review into death of Adelaide woman left in hospital corridor

      Hospital footage obtained by the family showed 64-year-old Helen Sargent being left unattended for more than an hour on a bed in a corridor at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in October 2025 before she died.

    • ABC News (Australia)06:13
      Family forced to drive three hours for 'vital' testing after daughter's rape

      A mother says that after her daughter was raped in regional South Australia, they were told to drive 270 kilometres for a test to collect evidence.

    • ABC News (Australia)07:06
      Child safety 'shocked' Elizabeth Struhs's dad converted to sect before her death

      The child safety witness said Jason Struhs had managed to treat Elizabeth's condition appropriately for more than two years prior to her death without child safety intervention.

    • The Guardian World07:20
      Elizabeth Struhs’ child protection case not ‘prioritised’ due to high workload, inquest hears

      Eight-year-old Queensland girl died in 2022 after being denied insulin by her religious parents Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Elizabeth Struhs’ child protection case was not “prioritised” or worked intensively because the staff member assigned to her case was “very busy”, a coroner has heard. The Queensland coroner’s court also heard the case worker may have been “overly influenced” by the presentation of Struhs’ “upper class home”, putting cases believed to...

    • ABC News (Australia)07:33
      Premier defends attorney general over delayed child murder inquest

      Western Australia's premier is defending his government's handling of persistent calls for an inquest into the deaths of three children murdered by their mother in the state's north.

25. Sat, 17 October 2026

    1 report
    • southernhighlandnews.com.au00:46
      Coroner probes ambulance delay as man's family grieves

      A civil draftsman called triple zero complaining of chest pains. More than two hours later, when paramedics finally...

      1 reprint

      • southcoastregister.com.au17 Oct, 00:46their copy
26. Mon, 19 October 2026

    2 reports
    • ABC News (Australia)03:38
      Elizabeth Struhs's mother trusted God would 'heal' 8yo, inquest hears

      A coroners court has heard details of Kerrie Struhs's meeting with a probation officer less than a month before her daughter Elizabeth died of untreated diabetes in 2022.

    • The Guardian World07:39
      Mother assessed as posing no immediate risk to others three weeks before Elizabeth Struhs’ manslaughter, inquest hears

      Queensland correctional services officer did not have access to details of Kerrie Struhs’ past offending which included child neglect Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Elizabeth Struhs’ mother, Kerrie, was assessed by correctional services as being of no immediate risk to others by an officer who had no access to her offending history, three weeks before she and others caused her eight-year-old daughter to die, a Brisbane inquest has heard. Kerrie Struhs was sentenced...

27. Tue, 20 October 2026

    1 report
    • The Guardian World06:28
      ‘Lack of curiosity’ about family’s religious beliefs was ‘missed opportunity’ to save eight-year-old, inquest hears

      Coroner says she’s considering adopting recommendations from Victoria’s cults inquiry as investigation into Elizabeth Struh’s death continues Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The coroner investigating the death of Elizabeth Struhs is considering adopting recommendations from Victoria’s cults inquiry, warning a “lack of curiosity” about her family’s religious beliefs was a “missed opportunity”. Elizabeth, an eight-year-old, died on 7 January 2022 of diabetic...

28. Wed, 21 October 2026

    2 reports
    • ABC News (Australia)03:26
      'Do black girls' lives matter?' Special envoy calls for change in the NT

      There are increasing calls to improve safety and provide domestic, family and sexual violence services in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, after a 16-year-old girl was allegedly murdered in a domestic violence attack earlier this month.

    • ABC News (Australia)05:02
      Child safety failed to recognise coercive control in Struhs case, inquest hears

      Jason Struhs, Elizabeth's mother Kerrie Struhs, and eleven others were found guilty of manslaughter after withholding her insulin for type 1 diabetes in 2022.

29. Thu, 22 October 2026

    3 reports
    • ABC News (Australia)07:32
      Relatives of Elizabeth Struhs speak at final day of inquest

      The inquest has been examining whether various government agencies' responses to the eight-year-old's child protection case were adequate before her death in 2022.

    • ABC News (Australia)09:56
      Police investigating death of woman and child in Melbourne's east

      Detectives are investigating the circumstances around the death of a woman and a child in Melbourne's east.

    • ABC News (Australia)18:44
      Children in care at high risk of suicide but national data is patchy

      Experts say data gaps on suicides in out-of-home care mean prevention efforts are falling short, despite children in care being at higher risk.

30. Sun, 25 October 2026

    2 reports
    • ABC News (Australia)02:49edited after publishing
      Man dies on Tasmania's west coast while waiting for ambulance

      The state's health department says the local ambulance station was not staffed at the time of the incident due to unfilled leave.

    • ABC News (Australia)18:58
      Grandfather's death not reported to coroner despite hospital blunders

      An ABC investigation found multiple problems with Leo Barraclough's care at a Caboolture hospital in 2024.