Australia Adds Gender and Sexuality Questions In The 2026 Census

Australia’s 2026 census will ask about sexual orientation and gender for the first time. This change follows weeks of debate and aims to include the LGBTQ+ community.

Australia is making a big change to its 2026 census. For the first time ever, people will be asked about their sexual orientation and gender. 

This decision comes after a lot of discussion and listening to the LGBTQ+ community.

Originally, the government planned to leave these questions out, which upset many people. The LGBTQ+ community felt ignored and spoke out. After weeks of debate, the government decided to include these questions after all.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced the news, saying, “You matter, you’ve been heard, you will be counted.” 

This means the voices of the LGBTQ+ community will be recognized in the census for the first time. However, the exact questions haven’t been created yet. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) will design them before the 2026 census.

Here’s how it will work: only people aged 16 and over will be asked about their sexual orientation and gender. And don’t worry—answering these questions will be optional. You can decide if you want to share this information or not.

Australia is following in the footsteps of the United Kingdom, which added similar questions to its 2021 census.

A few weeks ago, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles explained why the government first decided not to include these questions. He said they didn’t want to start any heated debates, especially with an election coming up. Some thought the government was trying to avoid upsetting certain groups, but Marles said this wasn’t true.

Now, by changing its decision, the government hopes to gather important data that will help make better decisions for the future. This information will help Australia support its diverse population, especially the LGBTQ+ community.

This decision shows that speaking up can make a difference. By listening to the community, Australia is taking a big step toward making sure everyone feels included and counted in its future.