Prime Minister Reconsiders LGBT Inclusion in 2026 Census

Earlier this week, the decision was made not to add a question addressing the inclusion of LGBT Australians in the national Australian Census. However, Mr Albanese has now stated that a new question on sexuality will be tested for the next census, overturning the previous decision.

ACT Chief Mister Andrew Barr released a statement yesterday saying he was disappointed in the Commonwealth Government's decision not to add new questions to the 2026 Census on gender identity, variations in sex characteristics and sexual orientation.

"There has rightly been a strong focus on the value of data collection to inform evidenced-based policies and service delivery and ensure our LGBTIQA+ community is counted."

"The ACT Government has been advocating for improved data collection on LGBTIQA+ communities for many years and most recently worked with the Australian Bureau of Statistics as part of the 2026 Census LGBTIQA+ Expert Advisory Committee."

Read Andrew Barrs' full statement here

In what looks like a turnaround, speaking on ABC Radio, Mr Albanese PM described it as a "commonsense position" to include the question.

He mentioned that discussions with the Australian Bureau of Statistics have led to the decision to test this new question, confirming:

"There will be a question as long as the testing goes well."

The initial decision not to include the question led to an internal revolt within the Labor Party, with criticism from Assistant Minister Ged Kearney and six other federal Labor MPs who argued that including such a question would signal to the LGBT community that "you count and you matter."

They also raised concerns about the potential human rights implications of not including the question.

While Mr. Albanese avoided characterising the reversal as a backflip, he acknowledged that his ministers had confirmed the decision not to include the question before he was asked about it. The Prime Minister had been overseas attending the Pacific Islands Forum until today.

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Anna Cody criticised the initial decision, calling it "patronising and paternalistic." Some Coalition MPs also expressed surprise at the initial move, though Opposition Leader Peter Dutton suggested that itreflected a "woke agenda." 

Equality Australia welcomed the Prime Minister's reversal but expressed concerns that it remains unclear whether the census would adequately include trans or gender-diverse individuals and those with innate variations of sex characteristics.

Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown emphasised the importance of collecting basic data about the nation, stating, "Including LGBTIQ+ people in the census simply brings Australia into line with countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Scotland, and New Zealand that already count our communities."