Crossbench MPs are seeking an urgent explanation from the Albanese government about why it dumped new topics on sexuality and gender diversity from the next census – a decision that left the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras “deeply concerned and disappointed”.
The move, confirmed by the assistant minister for the Treasury, Andrew Leigh, on Sunday, comes more than a year after the Australian Bureau of Statistics issued its statement of regret over the distress felt by the LGBTQ+ community as a result of being left out of the census.
The independent MP for Wentworth, Allegra Spender, told Leigh in a letter on Tuesday she was “appalled” by the announcement and urged him to reverse it.
“Without proper data on gender identity, sexual orientation and variations in sex characteristics, it is impossible to properly design policy to support this community, and to ensure there are appropriate services in areas like health and wellbeing,” Spender wrote, later telling Guardian Australia the proposed new topics seemed a “complete no-brainer”.
Another letter from the crossbench urging Leigh to change the government’s decision is expected to be supported by Spender’s crossbench colleagues, Monique Ryan, Kate Chaney and Sophie Scamps, along with ACT independent senator, David Pocock.
Consultation began in early 2023 with the ABS finalising its proposed new topics in December 2023.
Any change to the topics included in the census must be tabled in parliament and can be disallowed by a vote in either house. In the Senate, Labor would need support from the crossbenchers or Coalition.
The ABS’s proposed new test questions would have asked about gender, sexual orientation and variations of sex characteristics while others would have centred on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural identity and reasons for moving house in the past 12 months.
Other questions on ancestry and religious affiliation would have been tweaked to capture more data.
On Monday, the ABS’s chief statistician, David Gruen, announced that plans to test the new topics had been scrapped after the federal government informed the agency of its decision on Friday.
“The test would have included topics that the government has now decided will not be in the 2026 census,” Gruen said.
“The ABS will adjust testing plans in light of this announcement, in order to best prepare us for a successful census – one that is safe, secure and easy to complete.”
Leigh’s office was approached for a more detailed explanation but did not respond.
Pocock said he was at an “absolute loss” over the decision, given ABS had done much of the work consulting and proposing new test questions.
“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,” he said.
Scamps, who was a general practitioner before being elected in 2022, said good data was crucial for health and service planning.
“We would all benefit from more accurate data,” she said.
Liz Allen, a demography expert at the Australian National University, said the exclusion of such questions meant Australia was “flying blind” on health and social outcomes for LGBTQ+ Australians.
“We have moved forward miles ahead of the outdated constructs in the census, and so the census no longer reflects the way that we live our lives, who we are, how we live, the way we live our lives,” she said.
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which organises the popular annual parade, said it was “deeply concerned and disappointed” by the announcement.
“Without comprehensive and inclusive data, the full diversity of our community remains invisible and marginalised, hindering efforts to tackle the specific challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ people in Australia,” a spokesperson said.
Nicky Bath, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia’s chief executive, said the lack of population level data on LGBTQ+ Australians was often raised in meetings, adding the government’s decision not to provide any rationale for the decision was “unfathomable”.
“We go around in circles over the same issues and it always comes back to the need for data. Four simple questions in the 2026 census can fix this,” Bath said.
“We need an appropriate formal announcement with a clear rationale as to why this decision has been made.”
The NSW chapter of Rainbow Labor, a grassroots network of LGBTQ+ Labor members, called on the Albanese government to reverse the decision in line with its federal platform.
“We believe that there is nothing controversial about including LGBTIQ+ people in the census,” a statement from its conveners said.
“Excluding LGBTQI+ Australians from the national census data is demeaning and alienating and enhances the feeling of otherness experienced by members of our community. This is an opportunity for the federal government to promote and celebrate the diversity of this country and the LGBTIQ+ community.”