Australian Labor party claims census sexuality questions dropped to prevent ‘divisive’ disputes

The Australian government has decided against including questions related to sexuality in the 2026 census, with Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles stating that the move aims to avoid “divisive” discussions within the community. Marles explained that the government chose to retain the existing set of questions for the upcoming census instead of incorporating five proposed new topics, including those concerning sexuality, due to concerns over social cohesion.

“We are doing this because we do not wish to provoke divisive debates in our community at this time,” Marles told reporters on Wednesday. His remarks came as Treasurer Jim Chalmers continued to criticize opposition leader Peter Dutton, labeling him as divisive and stating that it defines his capability as a leader. Chalmers asserted, “He’s too divisive to be the prime minister of this country, and I do not regret pointing that out.” He accused Dutton of avoiding economic discussions by initiating unwarranted conflicts over national security.

In a speech on Monday evening, Chalmers described Dutton as the most divisive leader Australia has seen in recent times, a characterization Dutton dismissed as an attention-grabbing tactic and indicative of internal struggles within Labor's leadership. Greens leader Adam Bandt accused the Labor government of hypocrisy, arguing that they have failed the LGBTQ+ community by promising anti-discrimination reforms but failing to pursue them due to a lack of bipartisan agreement. Bandt stated, “On one hand, Labor claims he’s the most divisive person ever, and on the other, they refuse to legislate until Peter Dutton approves.”

According to The Guardian, Marles’ comments regarding the potential divisiveness of sexuality questions mark the first instance of a minister addressing the government’s surprising decision to exclude these and other proposed topics since it became known on Monday. Previously, the expectation was that the census would include inquiries about changes in living circumstances over the past year, as well as questions concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural identity, gender—including variations in sex characteristics—and sexual orientation. These additional topics stemmed from community consultations held last year and were part of a trial program prior to final decisions by the government.

However, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) confirmed this week that it was informed on Friday of the previous week that the additional topics would not be included. When asked how questions regarding sexuality could be seen as divisive, Marles responded, “We have witnessed how divisive debates have emerged in our nation, and the last thing we want is to instigate that discussion within any segment of our community right now. That’s why we are opting to use the same set of questions from the last census.”