Pressure is mounting on the federal government to include gender identity and sexuality questions in the census as crossbenchers add their voices to a growing chorus of discontent. or signup to continue reading Independent senator David Pocock said he was at "an absolute loss as to why the government would reverse course on a commitment from last year to build a better, more inclusive picture of our community". "Clearly the ABS has done the work - they've consulted, they've listened, they've come up with proposed new test questions," he said.
"This decision exacerbates the hurt already felt by many LGBTI Australians following the last census and I just don't understand why the government would raise expectations only to let them down." Crossbenchers signed a joint letter to the prime minister to reverse its decision to exclude questions on gender identity and sexuality. "This decision has left people in the LGBTIQA+ community feeling excluded, demeaned, and angry.
They are being denied the basic right to be recognised and valued," the crossbenchers wrote. "No clear justification has been provided for this so far." Data was needed to adequately design and target policy to support the community, especially in areas such as health and wellbeing, the letter said.
said the party "believes that LGBTIQ+ Australians should be counted as part of the national census". It committed to ensuring relevant data was collected on LGBTQI Australians in the 2026 census and discontinuing randoml.