2026 Census to ask Australians about sexual orientation and gender for first time
Australians will answer an unexpected question for the first time in the 2026 Census, marking a historic change to the national survey. See what else you will need to answer.
Australians aged 16 and over will be asked in the 2026 Census to identify their sexual orientation and sex recorded at birth under new changes.
Here are the new and updated questions announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and what we know about the 2026 Census.
WHAT ARE THE NEW QUESTIONS IN THE 2026 CENSUS?
For the first time, questions about a person’s gender and sexual orientation will be included in the 2026 Census.
“The 2026 Census will ask questions on both sex recorded at birth and gender,” the ABS website said.
“The sex recorded at birth question is included in the Population section. Responses to the sex recorded at birth and gender questions will be used to generate data on trans and gender diverse populations.”
When completing the 2026 Census, participants will be able to choose from options including Man, Woman, Non-binary, Another term (specify), or choose not to answer, according to the question released by the ABS.
Another question will ask Australians about how they consider their own sexuality and the nature of their romantic or sexual attraction to other people.
Options for that question include Straight, Gay or Lesbian, Bisexual, Another term (specify), Don’t know, and Prefer not to answer.
“The 2026 Census will deliver richer insights with the addition of a new topic on gender and sexual orientation, and updates to existing topics to meet emerging data needs,” census general manager Jenny Telford said in a statement.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER CHANGES TO THE 2026 CENSUS?
Other changes will allow Australians to report up to four cultural ancestries when they are describing the ethnic make-up of their household.
The question relating to the country of birth of a person’s parents has been updated to include the addition of the words: “This could be a parent of any gender.”
Liver disease has been added as an option for the long-term health condition question, and e-bikes have been added into a bicycles category to identify a person’s mode of travel to work.
For the first time, Australians will also be able to subscribe for access to the Census questionnaire via their MyGov accounts.
WHEN IS THE CENSUS?
The 2026 Census will take place on the night of Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
Australians will receive a letter in the mail with instructions on how to complete it online, although some will receive a paper form, the ABS said.
MyGov subscribers will be sent additional updates about the rollout of the Census and a link to the online form when it is time to be filled out.
WHY IS THERE A CENSUS?
The Census is a compulsory, five-year questionnaire that aims to compile a comprehensive picture of Australia’s population and housing.
“The Census collects information on demographic characteristics such as age and sex, types of housing, and on other topics such as education, participation in the labour force, occupations and industries, marital status, and family size,” the ABS said.
“The range of topics enables analysis across multiple dimensions, offering a unique and comprehensive view of Australian society.”
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Originally published as 2026 Census to ask Australians about sexual orientation and gender for first time
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