A lowering suicide rate is good news, but there are still to many people taking their own lives, say North Canterbury mental health advocates.

For the third year in a row the number of New Zealanders suspected to have taken their own lives has fallen.

The Office of the Chief Coroner released its provisional suspected suicide statistics last week for the year ending June 30, 2022, with 538 people suspected to have died by suicide and at a rate of 10.2 per 100,000 people.

This compares to 607 suspected suicides in the year to June 30, 2021, at a rate of 11.6 per 100,000.

But Waimakariri MP and Opposition Mental Health spokesperson Matt Doocey says the number is still too high.

"One death by suicide in New Zealand is too high, but it is encouraging that the numbers have come down.

"There is unfortunately tens of thousands who have attempted or thought about suicide, so it is about ensuring we have support for those in crisis."

Doocey says he is encouraged by the work of Parliament's cross-party working party on mental health, which he established and now chairs.

The working party produced a report, Zero Suicide two years ago, which aimed to improve grassroots support.

"The report found that what would work for middle-aged, male dairy farmers in North Canterbury is different to the support needed for young Māori in south Auckland.

"‘It is encouraging those recommendations are now being taken forward and we are starting to see some results."

Doocey says the country is doing a better job at "starting the conversation".

"I have been encouraged by the ability of New Zealanders to have an open conversation on mental health and we have seen some local responses to suicide prevention such as Lifekeepers.

"And we are very lucky to have a number of community organisations like Community Wellbeing North Canterbury and the Oxford Community Trust who are doing life-saving working the community."

Initiatives such as last week's Gumboot Friday are also playing an important role, he says.

Doocey advocates for a whole of community approach to suicide prevention.

"The government of the day has a role in making sure publicly funded services are performing, but the rest of society needs to step up, whether NGOs or businesses, to address mental health issues in society.

"I think we have done a good job where people can talk more openly and there is less stigma.

"The problem is sometimes the support is not there, so we need to ensure there is a range of support available."

Community Wellbeing North Canterbury Trust manager Deirdre Ryan says the local community has been through a lot over the last decade.

"We have all been through a lot with various events including earthquakes, drought and Covid, which impact on people in all sorts of ways.

"The statistics are trending in the right direction, but we all need to work on strengthening the wellbeing of our young people in particular."

She says Wellbeing is focusing on providing support to parents, as well as young people, and ensuring they can access the help they need.

For the second year in a row, the Canterbury's region suicide rate was lower than the rest of the country at 8.4 per 100,000.

But suicide among Māori and young people aged 20 to 24 continues to be disproportionately high nationally.

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