This presentation was based on an epidemiological review of youth suicide presented to the National Health & Medical Research Council, & a number of other projects which have aimed to present Australian suicide data in a more searching perspective. Questions presented included: how do Australian suicide rates across the full age span compare with other Western countries? how reliable are Australian data systems? what about the suicide rates of young females? what is meant by young? what about older people? The presentation also examined urban rural suicide rates, socio-economic issues, marital status issues, trends according to methods of suicide, & data relating to ethnic & minority populations.