The minister responsible for suicide prevention says more funding is not the way to reduce the country's high suicide rate.
Associate Health Minister Todd McClay says figures released by the Coroner on Monday show 541 people committed suicide for the year to June - six fewer than the previous year.
Todd McClay. Photo: NATIONAL PARTY
The rate, he says, remains stubbornly high compared with other developed nations.
Mr McClay says the Government will not be allocating more money to suicide prevention initiatives.
Suicide, he says, is a complicated problem and throwing money at it is not the answer.
Mr McClay, says there is some good news in the figures with the number of suicides among young Maori men falling.
He points to the Government's recently released a 30-point suicide prevention action plan as a constructive strategy.
It includes strengthening support for families of victims and reviewing restrictions on reporting suicides.
