Preliminary figures released today by the Coronial Services Unit show 80 people aged 15-19 took their own lives in the year ending June 30, up from 56 in the previous 12 months.
Officials revealed a child between 5 and 9 had killed themselves. They said it was the youngest suicide since the Ministry of Justice unit started collecting data in 2007 but refused to reveal further details due to the sensitivities around the case.
The number of Maori aged 15-19 who took their lives over the same period leapt to 37 from an average of 21 across the previous four years.
Suicides in the Christchurch region are rising after a drop in the aftermath of the devastating quakes. They're also rising on the West Coast and in Marlborough.
The number of suicides in the 50-74 age group has dropped but the rate among unemployed people compared to those in work remains high. Students and retired people also continue to have a high rate of suicide.
Chief Coroner Judge Neil Maclean said the issue had to be brought out of the shadows through open discussion but added he had no definite solution.
"I am concerned that we seem to be making no impact - there has been no visible downward trend at all. Our job is to tell the public the facts - I am no more qualified to suggest an answer or a solution than anyone.
"Part of the problem is there are so many agencies who have something to contribute - it does need to be co-ordinated and pulled together.
"My hunch is there is a link. People don't commit suicide because they're poor, it's because they feel utterly at the end of their tether, but it doesn't help if you've got no money."
Judge MacLean said the Maori community had told him they were concerned about the rise in suicide rates among their people.
Asked why more Maori were killing themselves, he said: "If we knew the answer to that we'd be halfway toward the solution - it may be linked to a feeling of alienation, worthlessness, of lack of prospects, or no future and mental health issues."
He said it didn't make sense to him why young people with lots of promise and a whole life ahead of them decided to kill themselves.
The figures are preliminary because they may include deaths that are eventually found not to be suicides. The unit uses a different classification system from the Ministry of Health.
Minister of Suicide Prevention Peter Dunne said the figures were useful but he would prefer a single set so the public were not confused.
He agreed Government departments could work together more: "There is always room for improvement."
Mr Dunne said Prime Minister John Key had launched a $62 million package over four years to improve youth mental health services.
In Budget 2012, $8 million was targeted at suicide prevention.
He said socio-economic issues could be a cause of higher rates of Maori suicide.
"These things all take time to bed down - we are placing a huge emphasis on getting into the youth suicide space."
Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said more funding needed to go to communities to support Maori youth.
"It's appalling that our young people have no sense of hope about their future, they need living environments to be created for them, but more importantly they need to be valued and respected for the contribution that they make to the future."
- By Kate Shuttleworth of APNZ
