Australia census asks about sexual orientation, gender for first time
Australia has introduced optional questions regarding sexual orientation and gender identity in its national census for the first time. The decision follows a reversal by the Labor government after initial concerns about social cohesion were raised.
Why it matters
This change reflects evolving government efforts to collect inclusive demographic data, aligning Australia with other nations like the UK, New Zealand, and Canada.
Australians aged 16 and over are being asked optional questions about their sexual orientation and gender for the first time in the country's census, after the Labor government reversed an earlier decision to exclude them.The 66-question census, held on Tuesday, allows respondents to identify their sexual orientation as straight, gay or lesbian, bisexual, don't know, prefer not to answer, or provide another term. A separate question asks about sex recorded at birth, while people aged 16 and over are also asked about their current gender.Respondents can select man, woman, non-binary, another term or prefer not to answer. Religion, which has been included in every Australian census since 1911, also remains an optional question.Labor reverses census decisionThe Labor government had pledged before its 2022 election victory to collect data on sexuality and gender.
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