Suspected suicide rates in New Zealand have dropped for a third year in a row.

This is according to the annual provisional suspected suicide statistics released by the chief coroner today.

The stats have been released via the Ministry of Health interactive webtool, which provides a single source of information on both provisional and confirmed deaths by suicide in New Zealand.

In the financial year to June 30, 2022, 538 people died by suspected suicide and the rate per 100,000 was 10.2.

This rate is statistically significantly lower than the average rate over the last 13 financial years.

This is the third year in a row that there has been a year-on-year reduction in suspected suicide.

'I acknowledge, and offer my sincere condolences, to the families and friends of all those who have died as a result of suspected suicide in the past year,” says deputy chief coroner Anna Tutton.

'It is positive to note, however, that the number of suspected deaths by suicide is continuing to fall.”

Suicide Prevention Office director Matthew Tukaki says he recognises all those who have lost loved ones to suspected suicide.

'We are working hard to ensure a significant and sustained reduction in the suicide rate in Aotearoa, because this means more New Zealanders are living long and productive lives, and fewer whānau, friends and communities are left grieving.”

The reduction in suspected suicide rates is consistent with international data.

Most countries have seen no change or a decrease in the rates of suicides, including across males and females and across age groups.

Māori continue to be disproportionately negatively affected, and the provisional rate of suspected suicide for Māori was 15.9 per 100,000 this financial year.

The rate per 100,000 was 9.9 per 100,000 for Pacific populations and 3.8 per 100,000 for Asian populations.

Suicide Prevention Office director Matthew Tukaki.

'It is important to remember that, although it is encouraging to see a continued reduction in the suspected suicide rate, we can only start to determine or consider a trend over a five- to ten-year period,” says Matthew.

'The work to prevent suicide spans across government agencies, organisations, businesses, schools, communities, and even within whānau, and this work will continue until we achieve our goal of no suicide in Aotearoa New Zealand.”