Albanese lgbtq census
“When populations are imperceptible in the Census, they are at increased risk of marginalisation and disadvantage,” reads a 5 August joint utterance by the UNSW Kirby Institute and other key health organisations, regarding Albanese’s decision to rescind on a pledge to include questions identifying gender culture and innate sex characteristic variations that were slated for the next national survey.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics issued a statement of regret in August 2023 regarding complaints that the Australian Census, which is taken every five years, fails to adequately address gender identity, variations of sex characteristics and sexual orientation, and it outlined that it would be working with federal Labor to speak to this omission in the 2026 national demographic questionnaire.
But ABS chief statistician David Gruen confirmed on 26 August that test questions had been dumped, as the Albanese government had determined not to progress them, despite the Labor Party National Platform 2023 having promised to include the LGBTIQA+ community in the next Census. And this has been taken as, yet another, betrayal of queer people by Labor and the backlash has been
New topic in the 2026 Census
The Albanese Government is setting a new topic of ‘sexual orientation and gender’ for inclusion in the 2026 Census.
This will permit the Australian Bureau of Statistics to request questions on sexual orientation and gender for the first time, in keeping with their recommendation to government.
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.
The new topic reflects consultation with the ABS’s LGBTIQ+ Expert Advisory Committee, including key peak bodies in the sector.
The ABS did not encourage a topic on variations of sex characteristics (intersex status) in the Census, and it will not be included.
Although this topic was considered by the ABS, testing indicated high quality statistics could not be collected due to the technical complexity of the topic. The government will continue to serve with the intersex community about ways of gathering facts in other ABS surveys.
We value every Australian, regardless of their faith, race, gender or LGBTIQ+ status. The government’s position follows further engagement with the comm
Anthony Albanese insists Labor has not changed stance on LGBTQI+ questions in census
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is insisting his government has not changed its policy on questions for the next census, despite existence forced to clean up a messy debate that erupted over how the nation's LGBTQI+ community would be counted in the next survey.
The government inaudibly confirmed on Monday it would not include expanded questions about gender persona and sexuality in the 2026 census, even though it formed part of Labor's national platform and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) had been tasked with considering the issue.
After days of criticism from the LGBTQI+ people and members of Labor's own caucus, Mr Albanese backed down on that position in an interview with the ABC on Friday morning.
The prime minister was asked what had changed from Monday to Friday, given how the government had started and ended the week.
"Nothing has changed," he told reporters in Rockhampton on Saturday morning.
"We are consistent about having a commonsense approach to these issues.
"We yearn to make sure that everyone is valued, regardless of their gende
'Don't pick and choose': Advocates say Albanese's LGBTIQ+ Census backflip falls short
Key Points
- The federal government has backflipped on including LGBTIQ+ Census questions after mounting pressure.
- Advocacy groups are still criticising the question proposed by the prime minister, saying it excludes parts of the community.
- The Opposition is divided on the issue with Liberal leader Peter Dutton calling the debate a "woke agenda".
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backflipped on his government's position not to include Census questions about the LGBTIQ+ community, but advocates utter the move falls short.
On Friday morning, the prime minister announced that a question on LGBTIQ+ persona would appear on the 2026 Census and was being tested by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
However, advocacy groups possess urged the government to include all the proposed new test questions laid out in the ABS's December 2023 review of the Census.
Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown said the government shouldn't "pick and choose" which part of the community was counted as she advocated for the addition of questions on ge
Draft sexuality and gender self census questions 'weren't appropriate', prime minister says
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the federal government told the Australian Bureau of Statistics to cancel testing on new census questions canvassing sexuality, gender identity and intersex status because they "weren't appropriate".
The revelation comes almost a week after the government quietly confirmed it would not involve the questions in the next census, despite it forming part of Labor's national platform.
What would including LGBTQI+ people in the census look like, and who's still missing?
A unpartnered question about sexuality doesn't encompass the LGBTQI+ community's complexity and diverse needs, experts and advocates say.
The move sparked days of backlash from the LGBTQI+ community and led a handful of Labor MPs to call for the decision to be reversed.
Mr Albanese appeared to advocate down on Friday, stating that the ABS would proceed with testing one new question on sexuality.
However, it remains unclear whether the government will advance forward with expanded questions on gender identity and variations of sex typical