Archive · 11 Aug 2026
Australia Census Adds Optional Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation Questions
Once every five years, Australia counts everyone who lives in the country.
That big count is called a census, and households are expected to take part.
This time, for the first time ever, the census includes two new questions about love and identity.
They ask people aged 16 and older about their sexual orientation and whether their gender is different from the one recorded at birth.
The questions are optional, so anyone can skip them or say they prefer not to answer.
The government first said no to these questions because it thought they could cause arguments between people.
Later, after many people and groups asked for them, the government changed its mind.
Countries like Britain, New Zealand and Canada have already asked similar questions.
More than five million families had already sent in their answers by Tuesday morning.
Australia's five-yearly census, held Tuesday, Aug 11, includes optional questions on sexual orientation and gender identity for the first time.
The questions are open to household members aged 16 and above, with options including straight, gay or lesbian, bisexual, nonbinary, and prefer not to answer.
The government initially dropped the questions in 2024 as 'divisive', but Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reversed course after backlash from LGBTQ+ advocates and Labor lawmakers.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said more than 5 million forms had been submitted by Tuesday morning, with almost 11 million expected.
Similar questions were already asked in Britain in 2021, New Zealand in 2023 and Canada about three months ago, though Liz Allen says Australia should go further on intersex status.
- Who
- Australians aged 16 and above filling out the Australian Bureau of Statistics' census under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Labor government.
- What
- For the first time, the national census includes optional questions on sexual orientation and gender identity.
- When
- Tuesday, Aug 11, the night of Australia's five-yearly census.
- Where
- Across Australia, including homeless people and those in remote areas assisted by field staff.
- Why
- To collect data on sexuality and gender; the government reversed its earlier decision to drop the questions after criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates and Labor lawmakers.
Supporters of the New Questions
Backers of the Government's Cautious Approach
Including gender and sexuality questions in the census
Supporters of the New Questions
LGBTQ+ advocates and demographers say collecting this data is important; they note Australia had fallen behind Britain, New Zealand and Canada, and that Labor had promised the questions during the 2022 election campaign.
Backers of the Government's Cautious Approach
The government initially dropped the questions in 2024 to maintain social cohesion, with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles saying it did not want to 'open up divisive debates in the community now'.
How far the questions should go
Supporters of the New Questions
Liz Allen, a demographer at the Australian National University, says the census should go further and ask whether respondents are intersex.
Backers of the Government's Cautious Approach
The ABS kept the questions optional, with Chief Statistician David Gruen telling the Australian Broadcasting Corp that for some people the information is important while others 'simply don't want to share'.
- Census date
- Tuesday, Aug 11
- Number of census questions
- 66
- New gender and sexuality questions
- Optional; open to household members aged 16 and above
- First census under a Labor government since
- 2011
- Forms submitted by Tuesday morning
- More than 5 million
- Total forms expected
- Almost 11 million
- Fine for not completing the census
- Up to 364 Australian dollars (about US$257) a day
- Similar questions already asked in
- Britain (2021), New Zealand (2023), Canada (about three months ago)