Census

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2026 Census content testing program

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Released: 13/09/2024

The ABS commenced testing potential content changes for the 2026 Census in late 2023.

Testing is designed to inform: 

  • The ABS recommendation to the Australian Government on topics for inclusion in the 2026 Census.
  • The ABS decisions on the questions that will be on the 2026 Census form. 
  • Communication, engagement and support materials to assist the public in completing the 2026 Census.

Testing with a range of population groups, across different geographical areas, is important to explore the understanding of concepts and inform the design of questions. Testing activities have included these target populations:

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
  • People with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, including people born overseas or whose parents were born overseas, people with English as a second language or people with a diversity of religious beliefs
  • People who identify as LGBTIQ+
  • People living in different household arrangements, such as living with children, shared houses or diverse family arrangements
  • People with disability or carers of people with disability
  • People with different employment arrangements
  • People who have moved in the past 12 months
  • People who completed the 2021 Census late or did not complete it.

The testing program has included focus groups, short web surveys and over 260 interviews to develop and test questions for the 2026 Census. Testing has been undertaken both virtually and face-to-face. 

The ABS investigated motivators and barriers to Census completion, including the level of understanding and support for potential new questions on gender, sexual orientation and variations of sex characteristics. This research was conducted with 169 participants through focus groups and in-depth interviews, and a sample survey of over 2,000 participants, chosen to be representative of the Australian community.

The ABS has engaged extensively with the community throughout development and testing to help inform testing approaches. This includes engagement with the LGBTIQ+ Expert Advisory Committee for the 2026 Census and the ABS Round Table for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statistics.

The ABS will continue testing in 2024 and 2025 to finalise question wording, support materials, systems and processes to support a smooth-running Census that collects high quality data. 

The final questions for the 2026 Census will be published on the ABS website in 2025. 

See testing of questions on gender, sexual orientation and variations of sex characteristics for further information on the testing of these questions.