Gender, sexual orientation and ethnic identity: Australians could be asked new questions in the 2026 Census

By Nicholas Biddle, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University

August 2026 may seem like a long way away. Between now and then, there will be at least one federal election, the 2024 Paris Olympics will have been and gone, another Ashes cricket series will have taken place, and the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup will have just finished.

Planning for the August 2026 census is, however, well under way at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

On Thursday, the ABS released results from the first round of consultations, and…

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