Australia's census embraces inclusion: optional gender, sexuality questions debut

Australians will, for the first time, have the option to voluntarily disclose their sexual orientation and gender identity in the national census, a survey conducted every five years. The 2026 census, held on Tuesday, August 11, includes these optional questions for members of households aged 16 years and older.

The 66-question census is the first to be conducted under the centre-left Labor government since 2011. The current administration initially chose not to introduce the questions in 2024, with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles saying the government did not want to open up “divisive debates” in the community. That position was reversed within days following backlash from LGBTQ+ advocates and criticism from some Labor lawmakers.

For sexual orientation, respondents can select straight, gay or lesbian, bisexual, “don’t know,” “prefer not to answer,” or write in a term of their own choice. For gender identity, the options are man, woman, non-binary, “prefer not to answer,” or a self-described term. Both questions are optional, as is a question on religion that has been part of the census since 1911.

The inclusion of these questions fulfills a promise made by Labor during the 2022 election campaign that brought the party to power after nine years in opposition. In August 2024, the government decided against deviating from the 2021 census questions to maintain social cohesion. Marles made that statement on August 11, 2024, and within a week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on radio that a question on sexual orientation would be added to the next census. Albanese, who identifies as heterosexual, has marched in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras twice since taking office in 2022.

The Australian government decides the topics for each census, while the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) determines the wording of questions. ABS Chief Statistician David Gruen said public consultations revealed a “substantial level of interest in asking questions on gender and sexual orientation.” He noted that for some, collecting this information is very important, but for others, it is information they do not wish to share, which is why the questions are optional.

The ABS conducted extensive consultations with community groups, individuals, and organisations ahead of the census. This process helped shape the response options and the decision to keep the questions voluntary. Gruen told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that the bureau respects the privacy of individuals while aiming to collect useful data.

The census is compulsory for all households, but individuals are not required to answer these particular questions. The ABS has assured that all responses are treated with strict confidentiality and used only for statistical purposes. Aggregated data, without any personal identifiers, will be released to the public.

The data collected from these questions is expected to help policymakers and researchers better understand the needs of Australia’s diverse population. Advocates say such information is essential for designing public services and policies that are inclusive and equitable. Privacy concerns have been raised, but the ABS says it follows stringent protocols to protect personal information.

The Australian census has been conducted since 1911, and its questions have evolved with changing social norms. The decision to include optional questions on gender and sexual orientation reflects a broader move toward recognising diversity in official statistics. The debate over these questions has been long-running, with some groups opposing them on social and religious grounds, while proponents argue they are necessary for equality.

Demographer Liz Allen of the Australian National University said Australia has lagged behind comparable countries in this area. The United Kingdom asked similar questions in 2021, New Zealand in 2023, and Canada three months ago. Allen added that the census could go further by including an “intersex” option, a term for people born with biological sex characteristics that do not fit typical definitions of male or female. She expressed hope that future surveys would capture the full spectrum of the population.

In the United States, the 2020 census, conducted once a decade, allowed only two responses for gender — male or female — and did not ask specifically about sexual orientation. However, same-sex relationships were for the first time permitted to be listed in the household relationship field.