2026 Census Australia: When it is, how to complete it and fines

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) conducts a Census of Population and Housing every five years to gather what officials describe as a snapshot of the nation. It includes up to 66 questions spanning a person's ancestry, religious affiliation, sex recorded at birth and even how they commuted to work that day. The last Census was held on 10 August 2021. Emily Walter, a Census national spokesperson at the ABS, said many people will be completing the Census for the first time. "There's a lot of Australians who won't have done a Census before, and this is really important to make sure that people are aware and understand what a Census is, and why it's important," she told SBS Urdu. From late July, households will receive instructions on how to complete the Census.