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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Karen Middleton Political editor

‘We have listened’: gender identity question added to Australia’s 2026 census after federal government backflip

People take part in a pride march over the Sydney Harbour Bridge in March 2023. The 2026 census will include a new single topic on gender and sexual orientation, the treasurer announced on Sunday.
People take part in a pride march over the Sydney Harbour Bridge in March 2023. The 2026 census will include a new single topic on gender and sexual orientation, the treasurer announced on Sunday. Photograph: David Gray/JM/Getty Images for Destination New South Wales

The government is adding a second new question to the 2026 census, restoring a proposed question on gender identity along with one on sexuality after a backlash over its initial decision to dump both.

The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, revealed on Sunday that the government had advised the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) that a new single topic on gender and sexual orientation would be included in the next census, likely to include two questions, not just one.

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