The Australian Bureau of Statistics has acknowledged the hurt caused to the LGBTIQ+ community by excluding them from the 2021 Census.
In a statement of regret published on its website on Monday, the bureau recognised the “hurt, stress, anguish and other negative reactions to some Census questions” by the LGBTIQ+ community.
The Australian Census, which takes place every five years, provides a snapshot of Australian society in which every person is counted.
In 2021, the Census did not include questions on sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status despite being on the shortlist.
The bureau makes recommendations on the information relevant to collect in each Census, but ultimately the decision on which questions to include rests on the federal government of the day. In 2021, the Coalition government was in power under Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
An official complaint was raised by Equality Australia to the Australian Human Rights Commission over that year’s Census that focused on its omission of certain topics and the exclusion of LGBTI+ community members.
Equality Australia told GSN that the community wasn’t counted properly.
“Our community is diverse,” it said.
“Some of us are in relationships that aren’t ‘traditional’. Some of us are parents, but we’re not all mothers and fathers. Not all of us have a straightforward relationship with the sex assigned to us at birth.”
The bureau acknowledged that the framing and language of 2021’s Census was “seen or experienced by some as hurtful, confusing, demeaning and discriminatory”.
“The ABS is aware that for some respondents, the absence of questions on their gender identity, variations of sex characteristics or sexual orientation meant that they felt invisible and excluded when completing the Census and in the Census results produced,” it said.
Since the 2021 Census, it has updated its standard for sex, gender, variations of sex characteristics and sexual orientation variables and introduced all these elements to a number of its household surveys conducted throughout the year.
The bureau has also established an LGBTIQ+ expert advisory committee for the 2026 Census to provide guidance and help with the framing of questions.
The Australian Human Rights Commission welcomed the result of the complaint, saying it was a positive resolution for the community.
“Not only does it help ensure that every person in this country is rightfully seen and counted, but it also showcases how the Commission’s conciliation process can provide affordable access to justice and affect meaningful, systemic change,” said the president of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Rosalind Croucher.
Equality Australia welcomed the bureau’s statement. It said that all the right steps were in place for a 2026 census that included everyone.
“The ABS’ commitment to work closely with the LGBTIQ+ community is not only an opportunity to gather crucial data for the services all our communities need, but to reflect the real diversity of the Australian community in 2026,” it said.
Eliot Hastie is a senior news producer at Channel Ten, reporting on a range of general stories, specialising in foreign affairs and LGBTQ+ stories. He’s also a reporter for Gay Sydney News, where he covers LGBTQIA+ culture, politics and nightlife. He previously helped to build and launch ausbiz, Australia's only live streaming finance news channel, where he was also an executive producer and host. He has previously worked as a finance and business journalist for publications including Fintech Business, Real Estate Business and other Momentum Media titles. Eliot holds a journalism degree from the University of Westminster and brings experience in both broadcast and digital reporting. Contact Eliot: eliot.hastie@gaysydneynews.com.au
