For the first time in the history of Australia's Census of Population and Housing, Australians will be asked about their gender identity and sexual orientation — two new questions added to the 2026 Census that advocates say represent a landmark moment for LGBTIQ+ communities across the country.
What are the new 2026 Census questions?
Respondents will continue to be asked about the sex they were recorded as at birth, but those aged 16 and over will now also have the option to specify their gender. The available responses include male, female, non-binary, or another term of their choosing.
A separate, optional question on sexual orientation has also been introduced. Australians can identify as straight, gay or lesbian, bisexual, or provide their own term through an open-ended response. For more detail on how to complete the Census and what participation involves, see our guide to the 2026 Census.
The questions follow standards set by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in 2020, which cover sex, gender, variations in sex characteristics, and sexual orientation variables.
Why advocates say this moment is historic
LGBTIQ+ Health Australia CEO Nicky Bath described the inclusion of these questions as a significant milestone — one that has been a long time coming. She recalled being contacted by older LGBTIQ+ people ahead of the 2021 Census who feared they would not survive to see the 2026 iteration.
"I remember in the run-up to the 2021 Census being contacted by older people who thought that they wouldn't be alive for the 2026 Census, and it was very sad for them that they wouldn't be able to participate in this way," Bath said.
She said the data — to be released in three phases beginning in June 2027 — will directly shape the availability, funding, and location of LGBTIQ+ community and health services.
Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown echoed the sentiment, noting that while the number of people living on houseboats has been recorded in the Census for decades, LGBTIQ+ populations have never been formally counted. She called the new data "transformative."
"We're really looking forward to learning just how many LGBTQ+ people there are in Australia, because we know that if we aren't counted, we remain invisible in the data that shapes decisions about our lives," Brown said. "Better data leads to better decisions on health, housing, education, aged care, and community services."
What's still missing — and what advocates are pushing for next
Despite the progress, advocates have flagged a number of limitations in the updated Census. Brown has called on the ABS to also count Australians born with innate variations of sex characteristics — commonly referred to as intersex people — and said Equality Australia will continue to push for their inclusion in future Census iterations.
The ABS's own 2020 standards note that including intersex as a response option within a sex question risks generating unreliable results and reinforces misconceptions about intersex people's identity.
Bath also highlighted concerns that the gender question is limited to those aged 16 and over, meaning families with transgender or gender diverse children under that age will not be able to include that information in their Census response.
She noted there is still important work to be done in educating the public about innate variations of sex characteristics, which she believes are frequently confused with sex and gender. Nevertheless, Bath said she is choosing to view the outcomes with a "half full" outlook, welcoming the additions as a genuine step forward.
"The decision has been a long time coming ... for many people, being able to mark those boxes in the Census is really important with regards to validation and for us to be seen as important members of the community. That's a really important historical moment," she said.
