The main public sector union has criticised the Albanese government’s decision to add just one question on sexuality into the next census as a “half-baked” step which will hinder the public sector’s ability to serve all Australians.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday walked back a decision to scrap a question aimed at collecting data on the LGBTQIA+ community in the 2026 census.
Mr Albanese confirmed the Australian Bureau of Statistics would test one new question on sexuality, just days after a controversial decision not to proceed with new topics on sexuality and gender identity.
“We’ve been talking with the Australian Bureau of Statistics and they’re going to test for a new question – one question about sexuality, sexual preference,” he told the ABC on Friday morning.
“They’ll be testing, making sure as well that people will have the option of not answering it – [if they] prefer not to answer.”
The Prime Minister did not answer questions on the reason for the change, though Treasurer Jim Chalmers earlier this week said the government was trying to avoid the issue being “weaponised against members of our community”.
But the Community and Public Sector Union has taken aim at the Labor government, calling out the decision not to include questions about gender identity “half-baked”.
Labor had previously committed to discontinuing “the practice of randomly assigning non-binary people and intersex people as male or female” in the census.
ACT regional secretary Maddy Northam has urged the Albanese government to expand the scope of questions.
“Excluding the LGBTIQ+ community from the census was a mistake made by this government, and the CPSU is pleased to see them admitting that,” said Ms Northam, who is also the union’s Queer Network co-convener.
“It is now crucial that the government follows through by expanding the scope of questions to make sure all LGBTIQ+ Australians are counted.”
She called on the government to establish a thorough snapshot of the community, “because this data is vital for shaping effective and equitable public policy and services”.
“The ABS apologised in 2021 for excluding questions on gender identity and sexuality and acknowledged the hurt and distress it caused,” she said.
“They then established an LGBTIQ expert advisory committee to help frame additional census questions.
“The responsibility for supporting this good work now lies firmly with the government.”
