Census Hub Launches Ahead Of Landmark LGBTQ+ Data Changes
LGBTIQ+ Health Australia has launched a new Census Information Hub ahead of major changes to the 2026 Census, which will for the first time include questions on sexual orientation and gender.
The Census, scheduled for August 11, will also feature improvements to the existing sex question.
LGBTIQ+ Health Australia says the changes will create the most comprehensive national data collection yet on LGBTQ communities in Australia.
New LGBTQ+ Questions For The 2026 Census
The new hub has been created to explain the changes, answer common questions and direct people to reliable information before Census night.
LGBTIQ+ Health Australia chief executive Nicky Bath said the reforms were an important step in addressing a long-standing lack of national information.
“For too long, Australia has had limited national data about LGBTQ populations,” Bath said.
The organisation says better data will help governments, researchers, service providers and community organisations understand the needs of LGBTQ people more clearly. It is expected to inform future planning in areas including healthcare, mental health, safety, research and investment in community services.
LGBTIQ+ Health Australia said the changes followed years of advocacy from community groups, researchers and advocates, working alongside the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
“While LGBTQ people live happy and healthy lives, many continue to experience health and wellbeing disparities, including poorer health outcomes, mental health challenges and suicidality, experiences of violence and barriers to accessing safe and affirming healthcare. Data collected through the Census will help build a more complete understanding of LGBTQ communities across Australia and support better planning, policy development, research and investment in service delivery.”
Bath said the reforms were the result of sustained pressure for better representation.
“These changes have not happened by accident. They are the result of tireless work by LHA and many others who have worked with governments and the ABS over many years to demonstrate why better data matters.” she said.
While welcoming the reforms, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia has also pointed to remaining limitations. The Census will not include a dedicated question on innate variations of sex characteristics, while the sexual orientation and gender questions will only apply to people aged 16 and over.
The organisation says it will continue to advocate for those gaps to be addressed in future Census collections and national data standards.
“LHA will continue advocating for future Census collections to include a question on innate variations of sex characteristics, and to review age restrictions which currently exclude LGBTIQ+ people under 16 years.”
“We also call for a review and update of the 2020 Standard to support improvements to future Census collections, as well as other national datasets and research.”
Even so, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia says the 2026 Census represents a significant shift in how LGBTQ Australians are recognised in one of the country’s most important national collections of population data.
The Census Information Hub is now available through LGBTIQ+ Health Australia’s website, alongside further resources from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
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This is important progress, enabling a more accurate breakdown of Australian population. It will facilitate better knowledge as delivery of services.
We know there are different health outcomes, both physical and mental, with very different needs and challenges. This should identify better spending priorities, and potential legal reforms.
Not every person will be comfortable answering this question. That is an individual choice and response, but it gives the option, a significant advance.