Government debt collectors will be forced to consider the risks of suicide when issuing fines after landmark legislation passed through NSW parliament.

The government’s suicide prevention bill will direct all government agencies and departments to create an “action plan” to address potential suicide risks in their day-to-day operations.

For Revenue NSW, that could include restricting debt notices from going out on public holidays or weekends when recipients could not access support, or including support information with notices, Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson said.

“We know that for a lot of people who experience suicidality, it’s not necessarily the obvious, diagnosed mental illness or conditions that are driving that. It’s things like relationship breakdown, financial distress, l

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