Proposed census questions about sexual preferences and gender identity have been scrapped – prompting gay and transgender Australians to claim their community is being ignored.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics dropped the questions from a census trial test at the recommendation of Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar’s office.
The National LGBTI Health Alliance said it was ‘disappointing’ to think some people wouldn’t be accounted for in the 2021 census.
Executive director Nicky Bath said there is ‘a clear data need’ for questions on sexual preferences and gender identity to be included in the census.
‘If we are not successful in the inclusion of these questions in the upcoming 2021 Census we will need to wait and advocate again for inclusion in 2026,’ Ms Bath said in a statement.
Labor senator Jenny McAllister grilled Mr Kalisch on why the forms with new questions about gender and sexuality were removed (stock image)
The Australian Bureau of Statistics pulled new questions about sexual preference and gender identity from a census test
‘This is too long; we desperately need to gain the insights that the Census will provide to us so that health and social services are better able to respond to the significant health disparities LGBTI people experience.’
Labor senator Jenny McAllister and shadow assistant treasurer Stephen Jones said the revelation was reminder of LGBTI Australians being ‘ignored’ in government policy, The Guardian reported.
‘The minister’s objection to a community or their sexual orientation is no reason to refuse to collect import information to help guide government service delivery,’ they said.
‘Even after years of progress, there are still significant health and wellbeing disparities that effect Australia’s LGBTI community.
‘LGBTI Australians have been ignored in Australian policy planning for too long. All Australians deserve to be counted in the census.’
On Twitter, Senator McAllister said: ‘This may just be a culture war issue for the government, but it has real consequences for #LGBTI people.’
One Twitter user suggested the pulping was a reflection of how the LGBTI population is treated by the Australian government.
‘So it appears the ABS was ‘directed’ to not use questions on gender and sexuality in the census trial by Sukkar’s minions,’ they said.
‘I guess the theory is they don’t want to know how large the LGBTQI population is so they can continue to treat us as a tiny fringe issue?’
Australian Statistician David Kalisch confirmed 20,000 test papers were destroyed during Senate estimates on Thursday.
Senator McAllister grilled Mr Kalisch on why the forms with new questions about gender and sexuality were removed.
‘It’s been put to me Mr Kalisch, that the first print run of the census test included a series of questions around gender and sexual orientation,’ she said.
‘And that first print run was pulped and a second print run commissioned which excluded those questions, is that correct?’
Senator McAllister referred to the ramifications of the revelation on Twitter on Thursday
Mr Kalisch explained a total of 40,000 tests were printed in two types of forms – ‘Form A’ and ‘Form B’.
Senator McAllister asked what role Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar, the prime minister and their offices had in the removal of ‘Form A’ – the set which included new questions on sexual and gender identity.
Mr Kalisch said the ABS did not have communication with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, his office or Mr Sukkar but they did speak with Mr Sukkar’s office.
‘I have had some conversations with the minister’s office about helping them understand the nature of the consideration around the decision,’ he said.
One Twitter user suggested the pulping was a reflection of how the LGBTQI population in Australia is treated by the government
‘They put a view to me but ultimately it was my decision.’
Senator McAllister continued to question how much sway the office had in the decision, to which Mr Kalisch conceded ‘they did express a preference but ultimately it was my call’.
Mr Kalisch said there were ‘some sensitives’ with the new questions and ‘some people in the broader community challenged to understand what they were being asked’.
The two new questions were part of eight potential topics identified following consultation in 2018.
The ABS tested the census on 40,000 households in Wagga Wagga, NSW, and south of Brisbane on October 15.
The exact number of LGBTI people in Australia is not known as they have never been properly accounted for in the census.
Australian Statistician David Kalisch confirmed 20,000 test papers were pulped during Senate estimates on Thursday