The Coalition is accusing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of inappropriately interfering with the next census, revealing it will pursue the Government during the next parliamentary sitting over its mishandling of the issue. Source: The Australian.
As the Prime Minister faces sustained pressure to ensure a question on gender identity, not only sexuality, is included in the 2026 census, Liberal senator Dean Smith said the Coalition would be demanding the release of correspondence between the Government and ABS on the matter.
Should the order for the production of documents – expected to be tabled on Wednesday or Thursday next week – be unsuccessful, the Coalition may consider calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the handling of the upcoming census.
Despite the ABS expressing “regret” in 2021 over any distress experienced by members of the LGBTIQ+ community because of an absence of questions including them in the last census, ABS chief statistician David Gruen last month revealed the bureau had cancelled testing of such new questions after Labor announced the survey would remain unchanged.
Advocates and members of the Labor Party expressed disappointment over the move and called on Mr Albanese to include questions on gender identity and sexuality in the census.
And, on Sunday, the Labor leader said draft questions from the ABS on sexuality, gender identity and intersex status were “not appropriate”.
Senator Smith raised alarm over any interference with ABS processes and timelines, adding that there was also a lack of clarity over other outstanding questions.
New questions that were being considered as part of the 2026 census include one on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural identity and another on Australians relocating over 12 months, which Senator Smith said was important in the context of the housing crisis.
Senator Smith wrote to both the ABS and the Government earlier this week to seek answers to his questions.
The West Australian senator also called for clarity on the status of questions regarding religious affiliation, shared care of children, ethnic identity, housing energy use and the impact of natural disasters.
FULL STORY
Government faces orders to produce documents and a parliamentary inquiry over ABS census (The Australian)
