Evaluation of suicide prevention activities

7.2 Equity of NSPP funding across regions

Page last updated: January 2014

The 49 projects included in this Report are those that were funded at June 2011. Over the seven years from 2006-07 to 2012-13 these projects were allocated NSPP funding totalling $96.8 million. These projects represent a subset of total NSPP projects and funding of $120.1 million over this period (see Section 5.1).

This section examines the equity of this project funding across regions over the period 2006-13. Analysis of NSPP funding is presented relative to each state/territory by:

  • Population
  • Age-standardised suicide rate.
Two projects operated across multiple state/territories. For the purposes of this funding analysis, their funding was allocated between each state/territory-based on advice from the projects about the geographic reach of their activities. Funding for national projects was not allocated to states/territories. Accordingly, it is important that care is taken in interpreting the following jurisdictional funding comparison, as apparent gaps (ie, relatively low NSPP funding for a jurisdiction), may in fact be addressed by national projects.

Table 7-2 identifies the NSPP funding per capita and the age-standardised suicide rate for each jurisdiction and in total for Australia. The purpose of this analysis is to examine whether funding appears to have been appropriately targeted to the needs of jurisdictions, based on their relative population and age-standardised suicide rate.

NSPP project funding per capita varied considerably between jurisdictions. The national average was $4.25 per capita of which $2.62 was for state/territory specific projects and $1.63 per capita was for national projects. Jurisdictional level funding ranged from $0.59 per capita in South Australia to $13.83 per capita in Tasmania.

South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales had relatively low funding per capita ($0.59, $1.10 and $1.32 respectively), and Northern Territory and Tasmania had relatively high funding per capita ($10.45 and $13.83 respectively). Overall, jurisdictions with lowest per capita funding tended to be those with the lowest age-standardised suicide rates 2007-11 while conversely, those with the highest per capita funding tended to be those with the highest age-standardised suicide rates 2007-11.

Key findings

  • NSPP project funding per capita varied considerably between jurisdictions.
  • In general, jurisdictions with the lowest funding per capita were those with the lowest age-standardised suicide rate and those with the highest funding per capita were those with the highest age-standardised suicide rate. Those jurisdictions with greatest need (highest age-standardised suicide rates) were therefore the recipients of highest per capita funding.

    Table 7-2: Project funding per capita and Age-Standardised Suicide Rate, by jurisdiction

    Jurisdiction
    Population 2012i
    Funding 2006-07 to 2012-13ii
    Funding per capita
    Age-standardised suicide rate
    2007-11iii,iv
    ACT
    376,500
    $2,047,858
    $5.44
    9.9
    NSW
    7,314,100
    $9,660,962
    $1.32
    8.6
    NT
    236,300
    $2,468,715
    $10.45
    19.3
    Qld
    4,584,600
    $18,007,776
    $3.93
    12.4
    SA
    1,658,100
    $982,097
    $0.59
    12.0
    Tas
    512,200
    $7,083,907
    $13.83
    14.1
    Vic
    5,649,100
    $6,237,574
    $1.10
    9.6
    WA
    2,451,400
    $13,235,694
    $5.40
    13.1
    Subtotal
    22,782,300
    $59,724,585
    $2.62
    -
    National projects
    -
    $37,091,816
    $1.63
    -
    Australia
    22,785,500
    $ 96,816,401
    $4.25
    10.6

    i Source: ABS Summary 3101.0 – Australian Demographic Statistics, September 2012 accessed on 11/03/13.
    ii Source: DoHA Project Data.
    iii Source: ABS Summary 3309.0 Suicides, Australia, 2010 – Age-Standardised Suicide Rate 2001 – 2010.
    iv Source: ABS Summary 3303.0 Causes of Death, Australia, 2011.