Canberra Liberals propose suicide prevention bill with mandatory reporting
Opposition Leader Mark Parton introduced legislation requiring ACT government agencies to develop suicide prevention plans and report progress annually to the Assembly.
The Canberra Liberals introduced The Suicide Prevention Bill 2026. The bill would make suicide prevention a permanent responsibility across the ACT Government.
It would establish a Suicide Prevention Council and require a territory-wide prevention plan. Government agencies must develop individual plans.
Annual reports to the Legislative Assembly would be required. A register of confirmed and suspected suicide deaths would help identify patterns and risks.
Opposition Leader Mark Parton argued that suicide prevention needs stronger coordination and cannot be left to good intentions alone. Relying on individual programs is not enough.
The bill comes just a week after the ACT Government announced considering a new suicide prevention implementation plan and proposed a roundtable in February 2027. A parliamentary inquiry had previously criticized the government for failing to publicly report on its mental health strategy, making it impossible to assess effectiveness.
- The Suicide Prevention Bill 2026
- Bill introduced
- Wednesday, 28 October
- Date
- February 2027
- Roundtable scheduled
Why it mattersThe bill would make it possible for the ACT community to see whether government mental health initiatives actually work and where gaps remain.
AustraliaIf passed, the bill would make the ACT the first Australian territory to legislate mandatory, transparent suicide prevention planning across all government services.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
