Overview of the 2026 Census topic review

Information about the 2026 Census topic review and public consultation process.

Phase two of the 2026 Census topic consultation has closed. Thank you to everyone who made a submission.

Outcomes from the second phase of consultation, including the topics progressing to testing will be shared in late 2023.

You can subscribe to receive updates about the 2026 Census topic review process at www.subscribe.abs.gov.au/2026Census.

Overview

The Census of Population and Housing provides a snapshot of Australia. It shows how our nation changes over time, helps estimate our population and informs critical decisions that guide our future. The 2021 Census collected data on a range of topics. The next Census will take place in 2026.

A successful Census relies on strong community support. This support is achieved through collecting data of national importance while also ensuring the Census is easy to complete and not seen as being too intrusive.

The Australian Government determines what information is collected in the Census. Every Census, the ABS undertakes a review to inform our recommendation to the Government on the topics that could be included in the Census.

The review is undertaken to ensure information collected in the Census remains relevant as Australia changes and maintains strong support for the Census. 

The review of topics includes extensive public consultation, stakeholder engagement and testing. The ABS is currently in the public consultation phase.

2026 Census topic review timeline

Timeline of the 2026 Census topic review process

This diagram shows the timeline of the 2026 Census topic review. Phase one of public consultation was open from 28 February 2023 to 28 April 2023. The ABS asked about information needs not currently met by the ABS. Phase two consultation was open from 27 July 2023 to 8 September 2023. During this phase the ABS prioritised information needs and asked for feedback on proposed changes to Census topics.

In late 2023, consultation outcomes will be published and shared on the ABS website, including the Census topics progressing to testing. In late 2023 the ABS will also begin testing proposed new Census topics and questions through focus groups, interviews and a large scale test.

In the middle of 2024, the ABS will recommend 2026 Census topics to the Australian Government for decision. In late 2025 changes to the Census will be tabled in Parliament. The final decision on topics will be published on the ABS website.

The ABS is undertaking a two-phase public consultation process to inform our recommendation on topics for the 2026 Census:

  • Phase one: 28 February to 28 April 2023 - understanding what information the public would like the ABS to collect on the Census. 
  • Phase two: 27 July to 8 September 2023 - consultation on topics being considered for inclusion, change or removal from the 2026 Census. This considered public input from phase one. 

In late 2023, the ABS will publish outcomes from the second phase of consultation, including the topics progressing to testing. Proposed new topics and questions will be tested using focus groups, cognitive interviews and a large-scale test.

In mid-2024, the ABS will make a recommendation to the Australian Government on the topics that could be included in the 2026 Census.

Following Government decision on topics for inclusion in the 2026 Census, Treasury will coordinate an amendment to the Census and Statistics Regulation 2016 to be tabled in both houses of the Australian Parliament.

Outcomes and topics to be included in the 2026 Census will be published on the ABS website in late 2025.

The Census is just one way that the ABS can meet the data needs of the Australian community. The ABS will review submissions to identify if other ABS surveys or administrative data could be used to meet the proposed data need.

Phase one consultation outcomes

The 2021 Census topic review: Phase one directions publication is now available. This provides a summary of the feedback we received during the first phase of consultation.   

Phase one submissions, where consent was provided, are available to view on the ABS Consultation Hub.

Phase one of the consultation was open between 28 February to 28 April 2023 and was aimed at understanding what information the public would like the ABS to collect on the 2026 Census.

The ABS received 260 submissions and considered more than 500 other pieces of feedback during phase one of the consultation. Phase one submissions, where consent was provided, are available to view on the ABS Consultation Hub.

The ABS has evaluated the value to the public of collecting each new and existing topic and developed a shortlist of topics being considered further for the 2026 Census.

Topics that rated highly against the public value criteria have progressed for further assessment to determine the feasibility of collecting the data in the Census. Not all shortlisted topics will proceed to testing or be included in the 2026 Census. 

There are 28 new or changed topics that were assessed as having strong public value and will be assessed further in the next phase. This includes 12 new topics and 16 topics with one or more changes flagged (including considering replacing one topic with administrative data). 

There are 33 existing topics that will proceed to phase two with no proposed change.

New topics being considered further for inclusion

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural identity 
  • Additional measure of disability  
  • Dwelling occupancy status 
  • Ethnic identity 
  • Gender 
  • Household energy use 
  • Impact of natural disasters 
  • Journey to education (Mode of travel to education institution and Name and address of education institution) 
  • Main reason for moving in last 12 months 
  • Sexual orientation 
  • Shared care of children 
  • Variations of sex characteristics 

Existing topics being considered for change

  • Ancestry 
  • Attendance at an educational institution 
  • Country of birth of parents  
  • Hours worked 
  • Household and family relationships  
  • Labour force status 
  • Long-term health conditions 
  • Main language other than English used at home 
  • Marital status 
  • Mode of travel to work 
  • Persons temporarily absent on Census night 
  • Proficiency in spoken English 
  • Religious affiliation 
  • Sex 
  • Status in employment  

Existing topic where collection of data could potentially be replaced with administrative data

Administrative data available on income has been identified as a potential replacement for the existing income question currently included on the Census form. Administrative data for income has been appended to the 2021 Census data and is providing a more detailed view of income than was collected on the Census form. The use of administrative data for income would also support the removal of the burden of answering a question that is relatively complex and takes up significant space on the paper form. There are other potential topics which could be replaced by administrative data in future Censuses, however income has been identified as being the best candidate for consideration for the 2026 Census. 

Existing topics being considered for removal

There are four existing topics identified for potential removal from the 2026 Census. For these topics, alternative data source(s) have been identified that largely meets the data need, or the data need is not as strong against the public value criteria. The topics include: 

  • Number of children ever born 
  • Number of employees (employed by owner managers) 
  • Number of motor vehicles  
  • Unpaid work – domestic activities 

Phase two consultation: Closed

Phase two of the 2026 Census topic consultation was open between 27 July to 8 September 2023 and was aimed at understanding the impacts of potential changes to the topics that were collected in 2021. 

Members of the public, community groups and other organisations were invited to participate in this consultation through the ABS Consultation Hub.

During phase two of the consultation, the ABS continued to engage with key stakeholders to clarify information and seek advice to ensure that recommendations on topics are well-informed. 

Support to participate

The ABS hosted live webinars on how to prepare high-quality submissions for phase one and phase two consultations. Audience question and answer sessions followed the presentations.  

Recordings of the phase one and phase two webinars are available on the ABS YouTube channel.  

Assessment criteria for topics in the Census

The ABS considers requests for new or changed topics for the Census against a set of criteria. 2021 Census topics are also being reviewed against the same criteria. This process identifies if the topic should be recommended to the Australian Government for inclusion in the 2026 Census. These criteria have been informed by the United Nations Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses.

The first step in this process will be assessing the public value of collecting data on the topic. To do this we will collate the evidence provided in the submissions and then consider whether: 

1. The topic is of current national importance.

2. There is a need for data at the national level, and either the local level or for small population groups.

3. There is likely to be a continuing need for data on the topic following the Census.  

The ABS will further assess topics that rate strongly against the public value criteria. This assessment will help determine if the Census is the most appropriate way to provide data on the topic. The criteria are:

4. There are no other suitable alternative data sources or solutions that could meet the topic need.

5. Data on the topic can be collected efficiently.

6. A representative of the household would be willing and able to answer questions on the topic for each member of the household.

In addition to assessing the topics individually, the ABS will consider if the combination of topics will maintain a high level of public support for the Census. This includes the overall size and complexity of the Census form, and if collecting data on a topic will impact how the public answers questions on other topics.

See the detailed assessment criteria for our considerations for each criterion. 

Privacy

For information on confidentiality of submissions and personal information please read
Privacy - Australian Bureau of Statistics - Consultation Hub.

Access ABS Collection Notices for information on the collection and use of personal information as part of phase one and phase two of the 2026 Census topic review process.

Subscribe for updates

You can subscribe to receive updates about the 2026 Census topic consultation process at www.subscribe.abs.gov.au/2026Census.

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