Sexual identity, transport among new topics being considered for 2021 census

THE previous census had 35 questions on it, but Australians want to be asked more, submitting more than 300 public submissions for changes to the 2021 count. This is what they want the Australian Bureau of Statistics to know.

QUESTIONS about sexual orientation, student transport and motorcycle ownership are topics Australians want included in the next census.

Public submissions of suggestions for changes to the 2021 national count have closed, with the Australian Bureau of Statistics collecting submissions from councils, lobby groups and individuals.

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The most common suggestion — 32 of the 315 public submissions — was for the inclusion of motorcycles as a registered motor vehicle in the next census. In the 2016 census, motorbikes were included as a transport option, but were not counted among the dwelling’s vehicles.

“They are increasingly used in our cities, making a significant contribution to reducing congestion, lessening pollution and freeing up of parking spaces,’’ one anonymous submission said.

Australian Statistician David Kalisch with a 2016 Census form. Picture Kym Smith

“As registered vehicles with owners who pay to use our roads, we should be recognised and counted, so that we can be factored into future infrastructure projects.”

More detailed data collection within the sex and gender category was requested by 26 individuals or groups, including educational institutions, local governments and industry bodies.

Requests claimed the identification of an individual’s gender orientation and sexual identity would be used to assist with policy and research in areas such as health services and family planning.

About 6 per cent of respondents were concerned with transport infrastructure and planning for students, requesting questions to determine where and how people were travelling for education.

Another person wanted more information collected on pets.

ABS and @WhatAustThinks talking 2021 #AusCensus topics today at ABS House. For more info on the 2021 Census topics consultation, go to https://t.co/PWpjgCrKG8 #ABS #ANU #Data pic.twitter.com/FUoDK4tMPh

— Australian Bureau of Statistics (@ABSStats) May 22, 2018

“I was interested to know how many households had pets and found the lack of this info in the 2016 Census to be disappointing,’’ the submission said.

The ABS will consider the suggestions based on meeting seven criteria, including its national importance and ability for the data to be collected efficiently.

Preliminary recommendations for changes would be published later this year, an ABS spokesman said.

The Federal Government would receive final recommendations by the middle of next year.

“The ABS is working to continually improve our operations to deliver high quality and timely information in the census in 2021, including drawing on lessons learned from the 2016 Census and the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey,” the spokesman said.

The 2016 Census was the first one to go online but was beset by technical problems on the night of the count as hundreds of thousands of people tried to log into the ABS site.

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@IanRoyall