Premium Content:

New ABS guidelines welcomed but LGBTIQ+ still absent from Census

National LGBTIQ+ advocates have welcomed the new guidelines from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) regarding data collection on sex, gender, sexual orientation and variations of sex characteristics.

- Advertisement -

Formerly named the Sex and Gender Standard, the new document expands the scope to include Sex, Gender, Variation of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables.

LGBTIQ+ Health Australia participated as an active member of the ABS Sex, Sex Characteristics, Gender and Sexual Orientation Reference Group, working to deliver advice on updating the standards from 2016.

“We hold our partnership with the ABS in very high regard,” LGBTIQ+ Health Australia CEO Nicky Bath said.

“The development of these variables is so incredibly important to the health and wellbeing of our communities. Currently the data on the health and wellbeing of our communities has significant gaps which is hindering Government responses and reducing the benefits we can gain from being included in for example Minimum Data Sets and Coroners data.”

“The Standard gives us the means to work with health and wellbeing sector data sets and ensure that the questions to identify LGBTIQ+ communities in the data are asked consistently and appropriately.”

“It is essential that we work together quickly and in a focused way to promote and use the variables in all government surveys, minimum data sets, suicide death data records, and research surveys, so that in 2026 we can complete that data cycle and have LGBTIQ+ people counted in that iteration of the national Census,” Bath concluded.

National LGBTIQ+ advocacy group just.equal have also welcomed the update, but highlight the lack of questions that target the experiences of people of diverse sexuality and gender, as well as intersex folk after alleged intervention from government MP Michael Sukkar.

“LGBTIQ+ Health Australia is to be applauded for leading the push to gather better, official demographic data on LGBTIQ+ people,” just.equal spokesperson Rodney Croome said.

“Better data will be the basis for planning and funding better health and social services for LGBTIQ+ Australians.”

“It is aggrieving that the current Federal Government has not approved the ABS asking Census questions about sexual orientation, gender identity and variations of sex characteristics.”

“These questions are approved for the New Zealand Census and the incoming U.S. administration has promised they will be asked in that country as well.”

“We are hopeful the new ABS guidelines will be an important step in the same direction.”

OIP Staff


Love OUTinPerth Campaign

Help support the publication of OUTinPerth by contributing to our
GoFundMe campaign.

 

Latest

Fresh Tracks | The latest tunes worth checking out

There's so much new music this week, it's a double edition of Fresh Tracks.

On This Gay Day: Remembering Merritt Butrick

The Star Trek actor died at the age of 29 in 1989 one of the many people lost to HIV/AIDS.

Nicola Sturgeon says society will look back and feel shame about the treatment of transgender people

The former First Minister of Scotland announced the end of her time as a politician.

Lil Nas X enters his ‘Dreamboy’ era

Lil Nas X has shared five new songs, all with matching pink videos.

Newsletter

Don't miss

Fresh Tracks | The latest tunes worth checking out

There's so much new music this week, it's a double edition of Fresh Tracks.

On This Gay Day: Remembering Merritt Butrick

The Star Trek actor died at the age of 29 in 1989 one of the many people lost to HIV/AIDS.

Nicola Sturgeon says society will look back and feel shame about the treatment of transgender people

The former First Minister of Scotland announced the end of her time as a politician.

Lil Nas X enters his ‘Dreamboy’ era

Lil Nas X has shared five new songs, all with matching pink videos.

On This Gay Day | The film 'Victor / Victoria' premiered in 1982

The role would become one of Julie Andrews most acclaimed performances.

Fresh Tracks | The latest tunes worth checking out

There's so much new music this week, it's a double edition of Fresh Tracks.

On This Gay Day: Remembering Merritt Butrick

The Star Trek actor died at the age of 29 in 1989 one of the many people lost to HIV/AIDS.

Nicola Sturgeon says society will look back and feel shame about the treatment of transgender people

The former First Minister of Scotland announced the end of her time as a politician.