In Australia, gun regulations saved 200 lives a year, according to new research published in the American Law and Economics Review. 

These results are traced back to the 1997 gun ban and buyback programme that reduced the stock of firearms by around one-fifth and nearly halved the number of gun-owning households. 

The researchers found that the consequent reduction in the availability of firearms led to a decrease of almost 80% in the rate of gun-related suicide. There was no significant effect on suicide by other means, thus the drop in gun-related suicides resulted in a decline in the overall suicide rate. The firearm homicide rate also dropped substantially. 

States with higher participation in the gun buy back programme showed a larger decrease in the number of gun-related deaths. Their paper, "Therefore provides evidence that reduced access to firearms lowers firearm death rate and may also lower overall death by suicide and homicide". 

These findings echo previous research from Harvard University on restricting access to instruments or weapons commonly used to attempt suicide, also known as lethal means. "The 1997 ban may have been passed predominantly as a homicide prevention initiative rather than suicide prevention, but this provides strong evidence that this ban was successful in reducing the overall suicide rate by reducing access to firearms at home", according to Mary Vriniotis, Project Manager for the Means Matter Campaign. She added "It is the latest in a growing body of international research indicating that limiting access to lethal means is an extremely effective suicide prevention strategy."

The public outrage resulting from the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 where 35 people were killed and 18 wounded led to the National Firearms Agreement, which banned all semi-automatic rifles and shotguns. The Agreement, between federal, state and territory governments, also harmonised gun laws throughout Australia, requiring registration of all firearms, proof of good reason and minimum age of 18 for gun ownership.

The National Coalition for Gun Control was at the forefront of the campaign for the National Firearms Agreement and continues to work for a ban on handguns.

In 2006, at the 10 year anniversary of Port Arthur, Roland Browne, cochair of the coalition, said “Australian Governments should be proud of the reduction in firearm-related deaths in Australia, but ashamed of how they have allowed semiautomatic handguns to flourish throughout the community”. 

10 September is World Suicide Prevention Day. More information, suggested activities, a downloadable flyer and banners in 41 languages is available here