2026 National Suicide Prevention Australia Conference

From 27–30 April, the MATES in Construction SA team attended the National Suicide Prevention Australia Conference, connecting with people from across the country who are working to reduce suicide and improve mental health outcomes.

It was a valuable few days sharing ideas, hearing different perspectives, and continuing the conversation about how we work together to create real change.

A highlight was coming together with the broader MATES network from across construction, energy and mining. These conversations reinforced the scale of the work happening nationally and the role each region plays in contributing to that effort.

Our Organisational Health + Wellbeing Consultant, Chloe Dierickx, shares some of her insights from the conference with a number of consistent themes that stood out.

• Suicide prevention cannot sit with the health system alone. It requires coordinated action across government, industry and community.
• Strong social connection plays a critical role in keeping people safe. This includes family, chosen networks, peers, and importantly, the people we work alongside every day.
• There is clear evidence that reducing access to lethal means and providing quality postvention support helps prevent further harm.
• And importantly, workplaces have a key role to play in creating environments where people feel supported and able to speak up early.

For construction and allied industries, these insights are highly relevant.

Workplaces are often where people spend the majority of their time. They are also where changes in behaviour are first noticed, and where early conversations can happen.

This is where MATES in Construction SA plays a role.

Through our training programs including General Awareness Training, Connector, ASIST and safeTALK, we equip workers with the skills to recognise when someone might be struggling, start the conversation, and connect them to support.

But just as importantly, this training helps create a culture where those conversations feel normal.

Where checking in becomes part of the job.

Where looking out for your mates is expected — not exceptional.

The National Suicide Prevention Australia Conference, was a strong reminder that suicide prevention is a shared responsibility.

It takes all of us across industries, communities and systems — working together.

The work happening on site every day, the conversations being had, and the support being offered all contribute to something much bigger.

And that’s how real change happens.