Australia’s 2026 Census will allow an unlimited number of so-called genders and sexualities, and has been reworded to use far-left language to ask about biological sex.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2026 Census Topics and Data Release Plan, the survey to be held on August 11 next year will include new questions in order to “generate data on trans and gender diverse populations”.
A new gender question will allow those 16 and over to choose between man, woman, non-binary, prefer not to answer, and a free-text field where any “gender identity” can be entered.
“Gender is a social and cultural concept about the differences in identity, expression and experience as a man, woman, non-binary person, or another gender identity. It may differ from a person’s sex recorded at birth and can change over time,” the ABS said.
A new question on sexual orientation will allow over-16s to choose between straight, gay or lesbian, bisexual, don’t know, prefer not to answer, or input anything they like in a free-text field.
In the 2021 Census respondents were asked if their sex was male or female, and given an option of choosing “non-binary sex”, but that has now been replaced with a question on “sex recorded at birth”.
There will be three response options – male, female and “another term” – and the ABS said the reworded question in combination with the gender section “will enable the derivation of cisgender and transgender status”.
The Census will also allow up to four ancestries to be selected, and the country of birth of mother and father questions have been updated to add the phrase “this could be a parent of any gender”.
The ABS originally intended to add questions about ethnicity to the 2026 Census, but last year scrapped the plans after testing found asking about both ancestry and ethnicity would be too confusing.
“Despite testing multiple concepts around ethnic identity, including ‘ethnic group/s’, ‘cultural background’, ‘ethnic and cultural heritage’ and ‘the culture you belong to’, there were significant issues,” the ABS said.
“The testing showed that the public is unlikely to have a consistent understanding of what ethnic identity is, or the difference between ethnic identity and ancestry. The ABS determined that due to these complexities collecting both ethnic identity and ancestry on the same form is not feasible for the 2026 Census.”
The ABS will release 2026 Census data for most topics in June 2027, followed by a smaller release in October 2027, and the remaining data in early 2028.
