# Australia adds optional sex, gender questions to census for first time 2026-08-13T01:42:14+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Australia’s five-yearly census now asks optional questions on sexual orientation and gender identity for the first time. The 66-question survey, conducted August 11, 2026, allows residents 16 or older to choose from options including straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, nonbinary, or write in their own term. The Labor government reversed its 2024 decision to drop the questions, which Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles had called “divisive,” after backlash from LGBTQ+ advocates and Labor lawmakers. The Australian Bureau of Statistics expects 85 per cent of responses online, up from nearly 80 per cent in 2021. More than 3.6 million forms had been submitted by Monday. Britain, New Zealand, and Canada have already included similar census questions. The Hindu reports that failing to complete the census can incur a fine of up to 364 Australian dollars per day. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Tags: Australia, Census, gender identity, Labor government, LGBTQ+, sexual orientation Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/australia-adds-optional-sex-gender-questions-to-census-for-first-time/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/australia-adds-optional-sex-gender-questions-to-census-for-first-time/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.