Members of the LGBTIQ+ community have said they were “betrayed” by the federal government’s decision not to include questions about an individual’s gender identity or sexuality in the upcoming 2026 census. One advocacy group has said the omission of these questions makes the national LGBTIQ+ community continue to feel “invisible and demeaned”.
After a complaint was made to the Australian Human Rights Commission following the 2021 census, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) announced plans to ask Aussies about their sexual orientation, gender identity, and sexual characteristics in the next national census.
However, much to the disappointment of the LGBTIQ+ community, it was announced on Subday evening that these plans will not go ahead, after being nixed by the federal government.
Though the ABS may recommend what is included on the census every five years, ultimately the choice about what boxes Aussies tick and what questions get asked is up to the discretion of the federal government.
The impact of not having Australia’s gender and sexual diversity counted by the census is devastating, for two reasons. Firstly, it means that LGBTIQ+ individuals will continue to feel “invisible” and uncounted by the census, which has been described as “devastating”.
Why has the federal gov stopped the ABS from including questions around gender, sexual orientation and intersex variation in the 2026 census? I mean, if the expression ‘you measure what you value’ holds true, that isn’t a good sign, hey.
— Wil Stracke (@WilStracke) August 26, 2024
And secondly, it makes providing appropriate support for services to the community practically impossible, without the proper data to know how many people might need assistance.
Government removes gender and sexuality questions from next census
Rather than making an announcement itself about the questions being left out, the government had the ABS confirm that the questions on next year’s census would be the same as in 2021.
The new questions were going to be included in a test census later this year to prepare the ABS, however chief statistician David Gruen announced that this test would be cancelled following the government’s decision to axe the questions.
“Given the Government’s announcement yesterday that topics will remain unchanged from 2021, I have made the decision that the upcoming test will not proceed,” Gruen stated.
“The test would have included topics that the Government has now decided will not be in the 2026 Census.”
Labor has abandoned their promise to include sexuality, gender identity and intersex status in the next census. Something they committed to do in their national platform. Labor have slowly walked back many commitments to queer people. They are not a party who care about us. pic.twitter.com/z67nWVifKs
— Lilah TheyPG 💜 🇵🇸 (@LilahRPGtt) August 25, 2024
Government receives backlash from LGBTIQ+ community
The government copped public backlash from the LGBTIQ+ community, and advocacy groups like Equality Australia for choosing not to update the census to count all Australians properly.
“The federal government has betrayed LGBTIQ+ people around Australia who will again be rendered invisible in 2026 because the census won’t ask appropriate questions about who they are and how they live,” said Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown.
“Our communities will continue to feel invisible and demeaned because the federal government hasn’t taken this opportunity to finally reflect the diversity of Australia and gather crucial information about the kinds of services people need.”
The group highlighted how in the 2021 Australian census, LGBTIQ+ individuals with a range of gender identities, sexualities, or characteristics could not adequately describe themselves within the framework of the census, and as a result, went uncounted.
The individual who filed the Human Rights complaint against the ABS in 2022, April long, also spoke out about the “devastating” news.
“Every person and every family deserve to be counted. The 2021 census rendered us invisible, and today’s decision ensures that invisibility extends into 2026 and beyond,” Long said.
“This isn’t just about numbers or data, it’s about our basic human right to be counted, recognised, and valued. It’s about ensuring our census counts everyone.”
Are LGBTIQ+ Australians invisible? 🌈Only in the census.
— Allegra Spender (@spenderallegra) August 26, 2024
The govt’s decision not to include questions on sexuality & gender in the census is inexplicable.
I wrote to the minister in April.
I’m writing again today.
This disgraceful decision must be reversed.@EqualityAu pic.twitter.com/Rgr0joOIWo
In response to Long’s complaint about the 2021 census, the ABS issued a statement of regret where it vowed to work closer with the LGBTIQ+ community for the following census.
“The ABS recognises that some members of the LGBTIQ+ community experienced hurt, stress, anguish and other negative reactions to some census questions,” it wrote in August last year.
“The ABS is committed to processes and approaches for the 2026 census to minimise the risk of further harm.”
Calls for PM to be uninvited from Mardi Gras
As a result of the omission of these questions from next year’s census, another prominent LGBTIQ+ activist has said that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should be uninvited from next year’s Mardi Gras parade.
Albanese became the first sitting PM to ever march in Sydney’s Mardi Gras parade in 2023.
“Mr Albanese may have marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge for WorldPride last year, but in the eyes of many LGBTIQA+ Australians he has now pulled up the draw bridge to equality,” said Just Equal Australia spokesperson Rodney Croome.
“Mr Albanese says he wants to promote social cohesion and prevent division, but by pushing LGBTIQA+ Australians back into the statistical closet he is doing exactly the opposite.”
Notably, his government’s decision not to include the questions goes against the Labor Party’s 2023 promise that the 2026 census would collect “relevant data on LGBTIQ+ Australians”.
[Image: Getty]
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