Media Releases

Lifeline Launches Brave New Commercial
19 Mar 2010 Suicide is a whole of community issue.

That’s the message from Lifeline Australia, as they launched a brave new Television Community Service Announcement (CSA) in Sydney today.

Helpline Numbers Save Lives
11 Mar 2010 Lifeline Australia is asking all media outlets to place a referral to Lifeline’s 24 hour telephone counselling crisis line 13 11 14, as well as their website, on stories about suicide and mental health.

Fashion Suicide Shows Need for Help-Seeking
12 Feb 2010 Lifeline Australia is today calling on all Australians to seek help if they are thinking about suicide.  The suicide prevention service provider is also calling on everyone to look for signs of suicide on the social network sites of their friends and family.

Lifeline Goes Online for Bushfire Anniversary
03 Feb 2010 For the first time, Lifeline has gone online. Over the coming weeks, Lifeline will be providing online discussion forums for people in Victoria who were affected by the 2009 bushfires.

Jam the Blackberry this Christmas
18 Dec 2009 Unions and mental health advocates are calling on people to have a proper rest over the Christmas and New Year break by avoiding excessive use of work mobiles and email.

Lifeline Shocked by Nitschke's Callous Christmas Message
17 Dec 2009 Lifeline Australia is today condemning the statements made by Dr Philip Nitschke about providing euthanasia pills as Christmas presents.

Be Patient and Kind this Festive Season
16 Dec 2009 Lifeline is urging all Australians to be patient and kind with their families and loved ones this festive season, and to party sensibly.

readthesigns Wins National Award
08 Dec 2009 A joint initiative by Lifeline Australia and the MTAA Superannuation Fund (MTAA Super) has won an Australian Safer Communities Award. These awards are sponsored by the Australian Attorney-General’s Department, in conjunction with the States and Territories.

Joint Media Statement - Suicide Costs Community $17.5 billion
23 Nov 2009 A conservative estimate puts the economic cost of suicide at $17.5 billion a year. That equates to around $795 per person annually, yet current spending on the National Suicide Prevention Strategy is just 91c per head.

Big Day Out Tickets Up For Grabs!
11 Nov 2009 With shows already sold out, Lifeline is giving music fans around Australia the chance to win a very rare commodity – a double pass to a 2010 Big Day Out concert.

Suicide leading cause of death in Australia
28 Oct 2009 Suicide is the number one cause of death for men and women aged 15 to 34 in Australia.  For men, it remains the leading cause of death up until age 44.*

Amusement Machines Fight Stress
23 Oct 2009 Lifeline Australia and the National Amusement Machine Operators Association (NAMOA) have joined forces to help reduce stress in the community.

Readthesigns scores major award
20 Oct 2009 A joint initiative by Lifeline Australia and the MTAA Superannuation Fund (MTAA Super) has won a prestigious award in the ACT.

A New Call Made Every Minute
09 Oct 2009 Lifeline receives a new call to its 24 hour telephone crisis line every minute, 365 days a year.
Today is World Mental Health Day, and Lifeline is taking the opportunity to provide a snapshot of Australia’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Working Towards Resilience
07 Oct 2009 Lifeline Australia is partnering with D-Stress Author Meiron Lees to help Australians build emotional resilience in their lives.

Lifeline Welcomes Senate Inquiry
10 Sep 2009 Lifeline Australia has today welcomed the announcement of a Senate Inquiry into suicide in Australia. The Senate has today referred the Inquiry to the Community Affairs References Committee.

Lifeline Delivers World First
10 Sep 2009 Lifeline Australia is today releasing a world first - best practice Standards & Guidelines and Practice Handbook, to assist people to facilitate safe and appropriate suicide bereavement support groups.

Lifeline Welcomes Blank-Page Communique
19 Aug 2009 Lifeline Australia has today welcomed the Communiqué from the Blank-Page Summit as an important step towards Indigenous suicide prevention.

Health & Community Workers Most Stressed
22 Jul 2009 People who work in the ‘health and community services’ sector are the most stressed in Australia.

Stress Costs Taxpayer $300K Every Day
21 Jul 2009 Stress is costing our community billions of dollars every year, according to data compiled by Lifeline Australia, including some brand new information.

What Stress Does To You?
17 Jul 2009 What can extreme or long-term stress do to your body, physically and mentally?

87% of Australians Stressed
13 Jul 2009 A national poll commissioned by Lifeline Australia has found that 87% of the community is stressed.  More alarmingly, 41% of Australians indicated they are experiencing unhealthy levels of stress.

For Fast Acting Relief, Try Slowing Down
25 Jun 2009 Sweaty palms, headaches, stiff neck and shoulders, back pain, anxiety and nausea. These are some of the symptoms of stress.

Men's Mental Health Neglected - By Men
16 Jun 2009 Lifeline Australia is calling on men throughout the country to be honest about their own mental health and wellbeing.

It's hard to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference.
11 May 2009 456,222 hours. This is how many hours dedicated Lifeline volunteers listened to callers in 2008. This equates to 52 years of non-stop compassion.

Suicide Statistics Not the Full Picture
25 Mar 2009 Suicide Prevention Australia (SPA), Lifeline Australia and the Australian Institute of Suicide Research and Prevention (AISRAP) have welcomed the new ABS report on Causes of Death 2007, but have asked for caution when interpreting the statistics on suicide.

On loss and grief
18 Mar 2009 In an unprecedented response, eight of Australia’s helpline support service providers and peak bodies concerned with mental health and well-being and suicide prevention have joined forces to issue a consensus statement.

Volunteers respond to crisis
13 Feb 2009 Following an appeal from Lifeline Australia, telephone counsellors from across the country have begun to fill extra shifts to help support people affected by the current bushfire and flood disasters.

Mental health during an emergency
09 Feb 2009 Lifeline Australia is reminding the community to connect with someone who cares during and after natural disasters like the current bushfire and flood emergencies in Australia.

Lifeline calls for more mental health investment
19 Jan 2009 Lifeline Australia is today calling on all governments to match the commitment from the NSW Government for mental health research facilities.

Lifeline Gives Away a Very Rare Commodity
20 Dec 2008 Lifeline Australia is giving music fans around Australia the chance to win a very rare commodity – tickets to the 2009 Big Day Out.

Lifeline Volunteers Worth $41 Million
04 Dec 2008 Lifeline volunteers across Australia are working over 2.8 million hours a year, contributing around $41 million dollars to the community.

Be Upbeat with Lifeline at the Big Day Out
28 Nov 2008 Lifeline Australia is giving music fans around Australia the chance to win tickets to the 2009 Big Day Out.

Lifeline Talks Business this Christmas
07 Nov 2008 Lifeline Australia is offering businesses and organisations a new way to deliver Christmas cheer this festive season, while also supporting charity and minimising their carbon footprint.

Level of distress amongst young alarming
21 Oct 2008 Lifeline Australia is alarmed by a report that 15.5% of young Australians are experiencing high or very high levels of psychological distress.

Indigenous callers less lonely
08 Oct 2008 New data released today has found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander callers to Lifeline are less lonely than non-Indigenous callers.

Lifeline CEO on Advisory Council
11 Sep 2008 Lifeline Australia CEO Dawn O’Neil has been appointed to the Commonwealth Government’s Australian Suicide Prevention Advisory Council.

Time to Talk About Suicide
09 Sep 2008 Every few hours, someone in Australia takes their own life, yet it is one of the least discussed topics on our social agenda.

Lifeline Welcomes Separation Services for Children
08 Sep 2008 Lifeline Australia has welcomed the new support services for children dealing with the breakdown of their parents’ relationship.

Running for Lifeline and Good Mental Health
08 Aug 2008 This Sunday 10 August, many participants will be running or walking the City2Surf and raising funds for Lifeline as their chosen charity.

Australia's First National Stress Down Day Tomorrow
23 Jul 2008 Thousands of people around Australia are expected to take time out tomorrow Thursday 24 July to take part in the nation’s first national stress down day.

Georgie Parker Launches National Stress Down day
10 Jul 2008 Seven times Logie winner Georgie Parker today launched Australia’s first national stress down day called Stress Down on 24/7.

Stressed Out Australia - Survey Sparks Call for Urgent Change
03 Jul 2008 Results of a Newspoll Omnibus Survey commissioned by Lifeline Australia indicate that an alarming 91% of adult Australians feel stress in at least one important area of their lives. 

Dawn O'Neil Appointed to National Advisory Council on Mental Health
16 Jun 2008 Lifeline Australia CEO, Dawn O’Neil has been appointed to the newly established National Advisory Council on Mental Health.

Lifeline wants Australia to Stress Down on 24/7
10 Jun 2008 Lifeline is asking all Australians to mark 24 July 2008 (24/7) as a day to engage in some stress reducing activities.

Lifeline's Multi-award Winning Campaign with the NRL and Triple Eight Racing Again Recognised
08 May 2008 On Wednesday 30 April Lifeline Australia was recognised with a Givewell Good Giving Guide Charity Award for its "help a mate" suicide awareness campaign run in partnership with the National Rugby League's One Community Program and Team Vodafone Triple Eight Racing. 

Families: An Important Ingredient for Emotional Wellbeing
07 May 2008 National Families Week will be held next week - 11 to 17 of May – to coincide with the UN International Day of Families and Mothers’ Day. During this time, Lifeline would like to encourage people to think about the way in which families can have a positive impact on emotional health and wellbeing. 

Lifeline Celebrating 45 years and Beyond
14 Mar 2008 This Sunday 16 March Lifeline will celebrate its 45th anniversary by remembering the journey that has taken place since its establishment in Sydney in 1963, while also looking to the future.

Lifeline awarded for Campaigns with both NRL and Triple Eight Racing
06 Mar 2008 On Monday 25 February, Lifeline Australia was honored with two awards from the Fundraising Institute of Australia, in recognition of suicide awareness campaigns run in partnership with National Rugby League’s One Community Program and Team Vodafone Triple Eight Racing

New Self-Help Resources for Men in Rural Communities
09 Oct 2007 To coincide with World Mental Health Day tomorrow Lifeline Australia has released two new resources for the support and awareness of the mental health issues faced by men, particularly those in rural communities.

Lifeline & MTAA Super Awarded LiFe Award for Suicide Prevention
11 Sep 2007 Lifeline Australia and the MTAA Superannuation Fund are pleased to announce that the “readthesigns” project has won a LiFe Award, presented by Suicide Prevention Australia.

Prime Minister Announces Funding Support for Lifeline
03 Sep 2007 Prime Minister John Howard has today announced that the Australian Government will provide additional funding to Lifeline Australia for the operation of its 24-hour telephone counselling line – 13 11 14. 

Role Models are Still Human
31 Aug 2007 Last night on the Channel Nine’s Footy Show, Andrew Johns, former Newcastle Knights player spoke candidly about his use of drugs and battle with depression throughout his sporting career. This was a bold and courageous move for a talented sportsman, and a sports role model to many Australians.

Media Statement - Lifeline National Callflow and Wait Times for the 13 11 14 Service
30 May 2007 Some recent reports in the media have addressed the issue of wait times for callers accessing Lifeline’s 24 hour telephone counselling line - 13 11 14.  

New Indigenous Self-Help Tool Kit
23 May 2007 To coincide with National Sorry Day, the Lifeline Information Service in conjunction with the Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service will be releasing a new self-help tool kit on Saturday 26 May, entitled “Coping with Sorrow, Loss & Grief.”

Lifeline Volunteering - New Recruits Needed to Help Meet Demand
21 May 2007 Lifeline has commenced a national campaign to recruit new volunteers, in order to meet the demand for its services. 

Lifeline & the NRL helping Australians stay in the game
07 May 2007 As part of Lifeline Awareness Week 2007 (7 – 13 May), Lifeline and the National Rugby League have launched a collaborative campaign aimed at promoting help-seeking behaviours among Australians and the rugby league community.

John Brogden joins Lifeline as Patron of the Lifeline NSW Network
01 May 2007 Lifeline Australia has welcomed the appointment of John Brogden as Patron of the newly formed Lifeline NSW network.

NT Government Funding Supports Lifeline's Role in Central Australia
24 Apr 2007 Lifeline has welcomed the Northern Territory Government’s decision to provide a $100,000 injection of funding for Lifeline Central Australia, to ensure the Alice Springs community continues to receive vital mental health and suicide prevention services.

Lifeline is 44 today...Did you get the invitation?
16 Mar 2007 Birthdays are times for invitations and resolutions. Lifeline, founded as a community response to suicide, turns 44 this week.

NRL's New One Community Initiative Supports Lifeline
11 Dec 2006 The NRL has selected Lifeline as one of four charities it will support in season 2007 under the NRL’s new major community initiative.  One Community aims to work across all levels of rugby league - with players, volunteers, supporters and corporate partners – to make a positive difference to people’s lives.

Remembrance - The Life of Lady Win Walker
21 Nov 2006 It is with great sadness that Lifeline mourn the passing of Lady Win Walker. 

Dawn Fraser to take a Swing for Lifeline
14 Nov 2006 Australian swimming icon, Dawn Fraser will represent Lifeline Australia in a million dollar, celebrity hole-in-one competition, to be held at Cockle Bay in Sydney on Wednesday 15 November, 2006.

New Lifeline funding will help save lives
12 Oct 2006 Lifeline Australia welcomes $18 million over five years in funding, as part of the Australian Government’s $1.9 billion mental health funding packageto help provide the highest quality round the clock support and assistance to all Australians.

Lifeline calls on politicians to lead SAFE SPEAK about suicide
11 Sep 2006 Lifeline Australia is urging all MPs and Senators to follow SAFE SPEAK, their new guidelines for speaking publicly about suicide.

LifeLine International Comes to Canberra
29 Aug 2006 Lifeline Australia is pleased to welcome the Board of LifeLine International to Canberra for the first time. LifeLine International celebrated their 40^th Anniversary on 23 August 2006 and members are currently meeting in Canberra to discuss the strategic direction of the LifeLine International network

Press Council upholds complaint against FHM magazine for 'worst ever' reporting of suicide
26 Jul 2006 The Press Council has supported appropriate reporting of suicide in the Australian press by upholding a complaint against FHM magazine, lodged by The Hunter Institute of Mental Health, SANE Australia, Lifeline Australia and Suicide Prevention Australia. This decision is a victory that protects vulnerable readers in Australia, particularly those affected by mental illness or suicidal thoughts.

Budget 2004-2005 Announcement
15 Jun 2006 Lifeline has been recognised as a vital service and the importance of telephone counselling affirmed by the Australian Government through funding to assist with the refurbishment and upgrade of telephone and computer systems.

OAM for Lifeline Australia President
15 Jun 2006 Recently the Governor-General announced that Lifeline’s National Board President Mr Scott Clifford Grimley was amongst the 719 Australian to be honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honour List 2004.

Media Statement re Telstra Sponsorship
15 Jun 2006 Lifeline remains grateful to Telstra for its sponsorship over the past 12 years. While their support has helped cover the costs associated with calls to the Lifeline 13 11 14 number, we currently have not identified a way to cover call costs from June 30 onwards when Telstra’s financial support of Lifeline ends.

Suicide data getting better but more needs to be done
15 Mar 2006 Australia Bureau of Statistics data showing a downward trend in reported suicide deaths in Australia provides encouragement but is no cause for complacency, says Lifeline Australia CEO, Dawn Smith.

Will Iemma throw a lifeline to Lifeline?
20 Feb 2006 Lifeline in NSW needs NSW Premier Morris Iemma to throw the community-based organisation a $2.8 million-a-year lifeline of his own this week.

Lifeline says 'yes' to engaging COAG on Mental Health Reforms
15 Feb 2006 Lifeline Australia is ready to work with COAG to provide frontline support for people with mental health problems, says Lifeline CEO Dawn Smith.

Lifeline Applauds COAG focus on Mental Health
13 Feb 2006 Commonwealth, state and territory leaders have an historic opportunity at today’s COAG meeting to deliver a coordinated national approach to address Australia’s mental health crisis, says Lifeline Australia CEO, Ms Dawn Smith.

Lifeline names new board chair
03 Jan 2006 Lifeline Australia is pleased to welcome Tony Eviston who was elected to the position of National Board Chair at Lifeline’s Annual General Meeting in November. Tony's appointment comes about after the retirement of long serving National Board President, Scott Grimley.

Lifeline's valuable role in the mental health system
26 Oct 2005 CEO of Lifeline Australia, Dawn Smith has called on the Senate Select Committee on Mental Health to recognise the unique role of Non Government Organisations (NGO) in service delivery.

Lifeline: Strengthening Rural Communities in Crisis
21 Oct 2005 Lifeline is training rural hairdressers, hotel workers, truck drivers and shop assistants, the people exposed through their work to a wide range of other community members, to respond to people in distress.

American expert supports those affected by suicide
21 Oct 2005 Tragically, six suicides are recorded on average every day in Australia. Every suicide affects many people – family members, friends, peers, co-workers and the community at large. To ensure best practice in providing care to those affected by suicide, Lifeline has invited American expert Dr Frank Campbell to Australia to assist practitioners and those working in the area of suicide prevention.

World Suicide Prevention Day - 10 September 2005
21 Oct 2005 Lifeline Australia would like to remind Australians that this Saturday, the 10th of September, is World Suicide Prevention Day. To coincide, Lifeline is launching its national tool kit for helping someone at risk of suicide to keep safe and get further support.

Telstra continues Lifeline sponsorship
17 Feb 2005 Telstra and Lifeline today announced that Telstra would continue its support of Lifeline.

Ongoing partnership to prevent suicide
03 Jan 2005 Lifeline and the Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund (MTAA Super) are proud to announce the extension of their cause-related initiative ‘Read the Signs’ a campaign promoting help seeking and suicide prevention.

Lifeline's exceptional contribution acknowledged
07 Sep 2004 Lifeline is the 2004 winner of the award for “Exceptional contribution to mental health services in Australia”. This prestigious award acknowledges Lifeline as a principal service provider for mental health in Australia.

Theologian, leader, champion of the poor. Sir Alan Walker dies aged 91
29 Jan 2003 Theologian, evangelist, broadcaster and former Superintendent of Wesley Mission (formerly the Central Methodist Mission), Sydney, the Rev Dr Sir Alan Walker AK OBE, MA, DD died this morning at an aged care centre on Sydney’s North Shore. Sir Alan was 91 years old.

Lifeline offers 13 11 14 counselling services after Bali Bombing
15 Oct 2002 Lifeline, Australia’s 24-hour free telephone counselling service is a barometer of community concerns after the Bali bombing.

Just Ask... and the Governor-General launches new venture for Lifeline Australia
13 Sep 2002 After almost 40 years of service, Lifeline, Australia’s oldest and largest 24-hour telephone counselling service, has introduced a new mental health information line.

Telstra Fundraising drive for Lifeline Awareness Week
06 May 2002 Olympic gold medallist swimmer Duncan Armstrong today launched Telstra’s program to raise funds for Lifeline’s telephone counselling service during Lifeline Awareness Week.

Social pressure rising says Lifeline.
09 Oct 2001 Lifeline, Australia’s 24-hour free telephone counselling service, is an accurate barometer of community concerns in the current volatile economic and political climate.

Lifeline Australia offer services after US attack: 24-hour phone lines open 13 11 14
13 Sep 2001 Lifeline Australia President Scott Grimley says the 24-hour telephone counselling service is responding to the US crisis.