More than half of Australians say people grieving a suicide are not getting the support they need
Wesley Mission
Media release
3 September 2026
More than half of Australians say people grieving a suicide are not getting the support they need
More than half of Australians believe people who lose someone to suicide do not receive enough support during their grieving process, according to new national research commissioned by Wesley Mission.
The McCrindle research*, commissioned by Wesley Mission, finds 55 per cent of Australians believe people bereaved by suicide do not receive enough support.
The impact of a single suicide can stretch to around 135 people.** With the impact rippling out so widely into the community, opportunities to come together, remember and find support can play an important role for people experiencing suicide bereavement.
The research comes ahead of the Wesley LifeForce Sydney Suicide Memorial Service on Saturday 5 September 2026 from 12.30-1.30pm, a non-denominational service open to anyone impacted by suicide.
Wesley Mission CEO, Rev Stu Cameron, says the figures reveal the enormous and often unseen cumulative impact of suicide.
“You don’t have to look far to find someone whose life has been touched by suicide. One life lost can leave more than a hundred people carrying some part of that loss.
“When more than half of Australians tell us people grieving a suicide are not getting enough support, we need to listen. The impact of suicide can be profound and long-lasting. There is no timeline for grief and no one should feel they have to navigate it alone. There is a profound loneliness that too often accompanies bereavement by suicide. Moments where that grief can be shared in some ways are powerful and transformative.”
The Wesley LifeForce memorial brings people together to remember lives lost and stand alongside others who understand suicide bereavement. The service includes music, stories of lived experience, hope and a sunflower ceremony, with attendees invited to bring a photo of their loved one and share a personal tribute on the memorial wall. Counsellors will also be available.
At the conclusion of the service, sunflowers, symbolising hope, strength and resilience, always turning their face towards the sun, are scattered into Sydney Harbour in memory of lives lost.
“There is something powerful about coming together with people who understand. We remember those we have lost, and we stand with those who carry that loss and we remind each other there is hope,” Rev Cameron says.
The service takes place ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September 2026.
Wesley LifeForce works across Australia to prevent suicide by equipping communities with the skills and confidence to recognise and respond to people at risk. More than 50,000 Australians have completed Wesley LifeForce suicide prevention training.
📅 Saturday 5 September 2026
🕚 12.30 -1.30pm
📍 ACO On The Pier, Pier 2/3 13A Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay
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For more information: Wesley LifeForce – 1800 100 024 | wesleylifeforce.org.au
ENDS
Media contact:
Anne Holt – 0418 628 342 (preferred) or [email protected]
Available for interview:
- Wesley Mission CEO Rev Stu Cameron
- Wesley LifeForce General Manager and suicide prevention expert, Andy Moore
- Lived experience spokesperson
About Wesley Mission’s Suicide Prevention Work
Wesley LifeForce is a national suicide prevention program that educates, empowers and resources local communities, supporting people most at risk. More than 50,000 people have completed Wesley LifeForce training, and with 144 community networks and 3,000 volunteers, the program is driving grassroots action against suicide across Australia.
* McCrindle research: Data was collected through an online survey completed by a nationally representative sample of 1,010 Australians aged 18–80, with quotas set for age, gender and state/territory distribution. The survey was in-field from 4–13 August 2026.
** Research estimates around 135 people are affected by each suicide death. Source: National Suicide Prevention Strategy 2025–2035, National Suicide Prevention Office, citing Cerel J. et al., How Many People Are Exposed to Suicide? Not Six, Suicide and Life-Threatening Behaviour.