Treasurer Jim Chalmers emphasized the government’s decision, stating, 'We have listened to the community, and LGBTIQ+ Australians matter. They will be counted in the 2026 census.' This marks a significant change in approach, reflecting a commitment to recognize diverse identities that were nearly excluded.
Guardian Australia revealed that the new gender and sexual orientation questions will supplement the existing sex-at-birth question, acknowledging the importance of allowing respondents to express their identities accurately, or to opt out of answering.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese explained the government's revised stance: 'The world has changed… it used to be that people's sexuality wasn't as open. We recognize that inclusion is crucial and have revised our previous decisions based on ongoing discussions and feedback.'
Following the backlash and discussions with LGBTQ+ advocates, the government’s new decision to reaffirm the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity questions in the census illustrates a positive shift towards representation and recognition within governmental statistics.
[
Collection
]
[
|
...
]