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Key Points
- The government has said Australia’s 2026 Census will include questions related to sexual orientation and gender.
- The announcement follows weeks of criticism over its decision to exclude certain LGBTIQ+ topics from the Census.
- The CEO of Equality Australia has welcomed the government’s new plan but criticised the exclusion of some questions.
Australia’s Census next year will include questions around sexual orientation and gender, the Albanese government has announced.
The government has faced weeks of criticism over a decision not to include more categories for gender and sexuality in the 2026 Census.
The initial move — which the government claimed was— drew swift criticism from LGBTIQ+ groups and advocates, experts, and several MPs,
In late August, Anna Brown, CEO of the advocacy group Equality Australia, “betrayed LGBTIQ+ people around Australia who will again be rendered invisible”.
the government’s “irresponsible and divisive decision will harm intersex, trans and gender diverse people”.
LGBTIQ+ Australians ‘have been heard’
Earlier last week, the government backtracked on the removal of a planned question around sexuality and announced that one would be included in the 2026 poll.
On Sunday, Assistant Minister for Treasury Andrew Leigh said the government was now setting a new topic of “sexual orientation and gender” to be included in the 2026 Census.
“This will allow the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to ask questions on sexual orientation and gender for the first time, in keeping with their recommendation to government,” he said in a statement.
“These questions will only be asked of people aged 16 and over, and the ABS has told the government that people will have the option not to answer.”
Leigh said the new topic was set up in consultation with an LGBTIQ+ advisory committee. He said the ABS did not recommend a topic on variations of sex characteristics (intersex status) in the Census, which would not be included.
“Although this topic was considered by the ABS, testing indicated high quality data could not be collected due to the technical complexity of the topic. The government will continue to work with the intersex community about ways of gathering information in other ABS surveys.
“We value every Australian, regardless of their faith, race, gender or LGBTIQ+ status.”
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the government had listened to the community and that “LGBTIQ+ Australians matter. They have been heard and they will count in the 2026 Census.”
He said the ABS would formulate the best way of wording the new questions.
Announcement draws mixed reaction from Equality Australia
Anna Brown from Equality Australia welcomed the “sensible, pragmatic and moral” decision.
Brown said it would ensure vital data about some of the most vulnerable populations in Australia would be collected nationally for the first time.
“The Census has told the national story of our changing community since 1911, but it has not once included the full story of LGBTIQ+ Australia,” she said.
However, she said the exclusion of questions related to intersex people in the Census was an “incredibly disappointing decision for people born with variations of sex characteristics”.
“From our perspective, it’s absolutely vital that data on people born with intersex variations is collected and captured so these populations can also be counted when it comes to decisions on policies, programs, funding and making sure that government decision-making also includes intersex people.”
“It’s now time to let the ABS get on with doing its job and proceed with the planned testing so we can finally count every Australian in 2026, including people who are trans and gender diverse as well as gay and bisexual.”