Suicides up for southern farmers

There were six ‘‘farming-related’’ suicides in Otago/Southland in 2017-18, considerably more than in the previous three years, figures show.

Ministry of Justice figures, released to Stuff under the Official Information Act, detail the number of farming-related provisional suicides in the Southern District Health Board (SDHB) region in the years from 2012 to 2018.

There were six suicides in 2017-18, one in 2016-17, two in 2015-16, two in 2014-15, seven in 2013-14 and four in 2012-13, the figures show.

Southland Rural Support Trust chairman John Kennedy confirmed the trust had dealt with the suicide of farmers in Southland in 2017-18, but he declined to say how many.

He noted the suicide figures released by the ministry were ‘‘farming related’’, and said the trust dealt with ‘‘very few suicides of actual farmers on the ground’’.

The Justice Ministry figures show two of the six farmingrelated suicides in the SDHB region in 2017-18 were in the 15-19 age group, and one was in each of the 20-24, 25-29, 35-39 and 45-49 age groups. Kennedy said the Rural Support Trust had received an increased number of calls for support from people in the farming community in 2017-18.

The calls covered a wide range of issues people were struggling with, including financial and personal problems. ‘‘You can’t just pin it down to one or two things.’’

The SDHB said people in the rural community should remember they were not alone and help was available when suffering from stress and anxiety.

There were many resources available for rural people needing help during challenging times, including from the Rural Support Trust and, for resources specific to M. bovis, Rural Support NZ.

Last year, Winton farmer Russell MacPherson, who until recently was on the Community Health Council, said farmers had some of the highest suicide rates in New Zealand.

He believed it would only get worse as new rules and regulations affecting farmers came out of councils and social media continued to be critical of farmers.

According to Statistics New Zealand, suicide rates in New Zealand – before the release of the 2017-18 figures – were higher in rural areas at 16 per 100,000 people compared with 11.2 for every 100,000 people living in cities.

‘‘You can’t just pin it down to one or two things.’’ Southland Rural Support Trust chairman John Kennedy