The short version
- One hundred twenty-one empty chairs were displayed at the Victorian parliament to represent Indigenous lives lost to suicide since 2021.
- A 2021 royal commission recommended two cultural healing centres, but the state has not funded them despite accepting all related recommendations.
- Political leaders acknowledged the crisis but avoided committing specific budget allocations during a joint press conference with health advocates.
A stark visual protest unfolded on the steps of the Victorian parliament building this week, where 121 empty chairs were arranged to symbolize the number of Indigenous Australians who have died by suicide in the state over the past five years. The display served as a public indictment of the gap between policy promises and actual implementation regarding First Nations mental health support. Advocates emphasized that these deaths occurred entirely after the release of the final report from the royal commission into mental health, which was published in March 2021.
The timing of these fatalities is significant because the royal commission’s findings placed heavy emphasis on Aboriginal self-determination and social emotional wellbeing. A central recommendation involved the establishment of two cultural healing centres designed to address the specific needs of Indigenous communities. While the state government formally accepted all 65 recommendations from the final report, as well as nine from the interim report, critics argue that progress has stalled significantly regarding those measures directly affecting First Nations people.
Jill Gallagher, chief executive of the Victorian Aboriginal Health Organisation, stated that mainstream mental health services are failing to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people effectively. She noted that despite numerous recommendations emerging from the inquiry, very few specific to Aboriginal communities have been put into practice. According to Gallagher, the government has failed to act on the establishment of healing centres, which she described as crucial for addressing the high mortality rates that see Indigenous Victorians three times more likely to die by suicide than their non-Indigenous counterparts.
The financial aspect of this delay remains a point of contention. VACCHO has submitted applications twice in the last five years to secure funding for these facilities, estimating the cost at $36.2 million over a four-year period. Gallagher characterized the lack of action as a failure by the state to implement key findings, arguing that without these culturally appropriate resources, families and communities continue to suffer unnecessarily. The organization maintains that Indigenous people are the experts in supporting their own communities and should be empowered to deliver these solutions.
Personal accounts underscore the urgency of the issue. Nikki Foy, a Gunditjmara woman who lost her brother to suicide more than two decades ago, highlighted that standard mental health services are ill-equipped to handle the complex trauma carried by Indigenous populations. She argued for healing centres that integrate culture as a primary mechanism for recovery, asserting that cultural connection is essential for healing. Foy warned that every day brings the risk of another family receiving devastating news, reinforcing her call for immediate and adequate support systems.
Addressing suicide rates in Indigenous communities is a critical component of the national Closing the Gap targets, which aim to eliminate disparities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. The failure to fund recommended infrastructure represents a missed opportunity to meet these broader social objectives. Advocates argue that without dedicated resources for culturally safe care, the state cannot realistically expect to see a reduction in suicide numbers among First Nations Victorians.
Political responses to the crisis have been cautious. Both Ingrid Stitt, the Victorian minister for mental health, and Emma Kealy, the opposition spokesperson, joined Gallagher at a press conference to discuss the self-harm crisis. While both politicians acknowledged the severity of the situation and the need for targeted interventions, neither committed to specific funding for the healing centres during the event. Stitt indicated she would continue to advocate for support within cabinet and budget processes, linking the issue to the broader treaty process in Victoria.
The political landscape adds another layer of uncertainty to the future of these initiatives. The Coalition has pledged to repeal historic treaty laws and dismantle Gellung Warl, the representative body for First Nations Victorians established under the treaty framework, within 100 days if it wins the upcoming state election in November. When asked if abolishing this body would impact suicide rates, Kealy stated that her party’s focus remains on ensuring community-controlled organizations are funded, suggesting a different path toward closing the gap.
Stitt emphasized that proud First Nations peoples hold the solutions to these challenges and that the government must work to give them the power to deliver those solutions. She described the treaty process as integral to addressing mental health disparities. However, without concrete financial commitments or legislative guarantees, the 121 empty chairs remain a potent symbol of unfulfilled promises and ongoing grief within Indigenous communities across Victoria.
As the state approaches its next election cycle, the debate over how best to support Indigenous mental health continues to divide political parties. While the royal commission provided a clear roadmap involving self-determination and cultural healing, the implementation phase has been marked by delays and funding gaps. The coming months will likely see intensified pressure on both government and opposition to translate rhetoric into tangible resources for those most affected by the crisis.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- The Guardian World↗‘Enough is enough’: 121 Indigenous Victorians have died by suicide in the past five years
