National suicide rate in Australia is up to more than 8 people a day

Drought, financial worries and cyber bullying have been named as possible reasons for an increase in the number of suicides in Australia. The spike comes despite more funding for suicide prevention, prompting calls for the federal government to set a national target to reduce the rate by 25 per cent in five years.

People walking through Central Station railway tunnel in Sydney, June 27, 2008. (AAP Image/Melanie Foster) NO ARCHIVING Source: AAP