LGBTIQ+ Expert Advisory Committee for the 2026 Census
Information on the LGBTIQ+ Expert Advisory Committee for the 2026 Census
LGBTIQ+ Expert Advisory Committee for the 2026 Census
The ABS has a long history of working with representatives of the LGBTIQ+ community to understand and address data needs. The ABS formed the LGBTIQ+ Expert Advisory Committee (EAC) for the 2026 Census, in line with the commitments made in the resolution of a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission relating to the 2021 Census. The EAC first met on 28 September 2023.
The Committee provides advice to the ABS on its preparations for the collection, compilation and release of 2026 Census.
The Committee does not have any decision-making powers.
Membership
Members have experience across the following dimensions relevant to LGBTIQ+ people: legal and human rights issues; health, wellbeing and family structures; research methodology into LGBTIQ+ populations; and diversity within the LGBTIQ+ community.
Members have relevant experience in research, policy, program delivery, and service provision for LGBTIQ+ people.
Members come from peak bodies for LGBTIQ+ people, academic and research institutions, medical institutions and Government agencies. There are also individual representatives who provide personal perspectives and lived experience.
| Member | Organisation |
|---|---|
| Bindi Kinderman (co-chair) | People and Place Division, Australian Bureau of Statistics |
| Nicky Bath (co-chair) | LGBTIQ+ Health Australia |
| Jane Armstrong | The Armstrong Agency and Homelessness We Care Perth |
| Joe Ball | Victorian Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities |
| Professor Adam Bourne | Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University |
| David Casey | Department of Health and Aged Care |
| Julie Charlton OAM | JC2 Athletics |
| Dr. Brendan Churchill | School of Social and Political Sciences Faculty of Arts, The University of Melbourne |
| Teddy Cook | Teddy Rufus Cook Consulting |
| Heather Corkhill | Equality Australia |
| Dr. Bridget Haire | The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales |
| Dr. Vanessa Lee-Ah Mat | Black Lorikeet Cultural Broker |
| April Long | SMART Recovery Australia |
| Dr. Ruth McNair AM | Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne |
| Niall O’Driscoll | Australian Institute of Health and Welfare |
| Professor Mary Lou Rasmussen | School of Sociology, Australian National University |
| Alexander Teh | Australian GLBTIQ Multicultural Council |
| Associate Professor Michelle Telfer | The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne |
| Lucy Watson | ACON |
| Representative | ACT Government Office of LGBTIQA+ Affairs |
| Representative | Attorney General’s Department |
| Representative | Australian Human Rights Commission |
| Representative | Diversity Council Australia |
| Representative | Switchboard Victoria |
Working arrangements
EAC meets virtually as needed.
EAC members also work in sub-groups on specific aspects of the Census that meet more regularly.
Each subgroup comprises members with expertise relevant to the topic.
The ABS intends for the EAC to continue until the first release of 2026 Census data, currently scheduled for June 2027.