On 3 September 2024, AHPA signed a Joint Statement in support of the inclusion of three new topics on gender, variations of sex characteristics, and sexual orientation variables into the 2026 Census.
The statement, led by LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, can be read here.
On 8 September 2024, the government announced that a new topic on gender and sexual orientation will be added to the 2026 Census, as recommended by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. These questions will be voluntary and asked only of people aged 16 and over. Read the media release.
This is a huge testament to everyone who spoke up and helped the next census count more of us, properly.
Being counted is about being seen and being heard. Unfortunately, people with innate variations of sex characteristics, or intersex people, won't be counted in the next census. The ABS did not recommend this question due to the testing results, which indicated high quality data could not be collected due to the technical complexity of the topic. We will keep working in support of intersex organisations for full inclusion into the future.