25 Nov 2025 - Australia will finally have a more complete picture of who we are as a nation when the first ever LGBTQ+ population data is released in 2027, says Equality Australia.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Tuesday announced that information from the 2026 Census will be released in three phases, with data for the new topic of sexual orientation and gender identity to be available in June 2027.

“In 2027 we will finally have a more complete picture of who we are as a nation, including where LGBTQ+ adults live, what our jobs are, our health issues, where we go to school and what our families look like,” said Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown.

“We still know so little about LGBTQ+ Australia because the 2021 Census failed to meaningfully count people of diverse sexualities and genders, and our families."

Last year, the federal government committed to count sexual orientation and gender identity for the first time in 2026, when the snapshot of the nation takes place in August.

The ABS on Tuesday set out how the questions would be asked, with separate questions on sex recorded at birth and gender. Responses to these questions will be used to generate accurate data on trans and gender diverse populations.

The gender question includes tick-box response options and a free-text field, with a 'prefer not to answer' option also available, the ABS said.

“Hundreds of thousands of people have been rendered invisible or misrepresented in national data sets, undermining effective service delivery by health providers, government departments and businesses that rely on accurate census information,” Ms Brown said.

“Our communities live in every corner of the country, contributing in countless ways. Just imagine the insights and opportunities that will emerge when we finally have more accurate and meaningful data in 2027.”

People with innate variations of sex characteristics, or intersex people, won’t be counted in the next census after the ABS did not recommend the question for testing

Equality Australia will keep working in support of intersex organisations for full inclusion in the future.

Media contact: Mike Hitch – mike.hitch@equalityaustralia.org.au - 0426 812 115