Australians will be asked their gender and sexual orientation for the first time when they participate in the national census on Tuesday night, a count of nearly 28 million people that decides how the country spends money on hospitals, schools, and transport for the next five years.
Every person in the country on census night, including visitors and temporary visa holders, is mandated by law to fill in the census form, with a fine of up to A$364 (£190) per day for those who do not. The last census in 2021 counted 25.4 million people in 10.8 million households.
