The Aboriginal suicide crisis has claimed the lives of at least 24 indigenous children in just four months, sparking a national campaign to tackle mental health issues in remote communities.
Of the young people, three 12-year-old indigenous children have committed suicide since January, according to the National indigenous Critical Response Service (NICRS).
At Tuesday's budget, the government revealed $461million would be spent on youth mental health - but only $5million over four years would go towards indigenous youth suicide.
At least 24 young indigenous people have taken their own lives this year amid Australia's Aboriginal suicide youth crisis
Five young indigenous girls took their own lives across Australia in January (pictured Rochelle Pryor, from Perth, took her own life after a cry for help on social media)
An average of three indigenous Australians commit suicide each week.
Over the past three months, a total of 42 indigenous people have committed suicide, including 24 males and 18 females.
Gerry Georgatos, who helped found and launch NICRS, said the majority of the 42 losses were youth suicides.
'Suicide is multifactorial and multilayered with an arc of issues, some which intertwine, but it is not complex. There is an underwriting narrative — poverty,' Mr Georgatos wrote for Independent Australia.
'In my research – borne robustly from the experiential – responding to suicide-affected families, nearly 100 per cent of First Nations suicides are of people living below the poverty line.
'Understanding and addressing poverty is the major way forward to saving from suicide First Nations children and youth, and reducing of the Australian suicide toll.'
Over the past three months, a total of 42 indigenous people have committed suicide, including 24 males and 18 females
Gerry Georgatos, who helped found and launch the National indigenous Critical Response Service (NICRS), said the majority of the 42 losses were youth suicides
Mr Georgatos told ABC's Hack that indigenous people's living conditions needed improvement to prevent further suicides.
'What we need
