‘Demeaning’: Rainbow Labor Speaks Out After Govt Abandons LGBT Census Qs

On 25 August, the shock news broke that the Albanese Labor government had decided to exclude questions about gender, sexual orientation, and variations in sex characteristics from Australia’s 2026 Census. In an exclusive statement to Star Observer, convenors of Rainbow Labor NSW are speaking out for the first time since the decision.

Rainbow Labor NSW speak out about LGBT Census questions fiasco

Convenors of Rainbow Labor NSW came together to share their thoughts in an exclusive comment to Star Observer:

“Rainbow Labor shares the disappointment of so many in our community and calls on the Federal Government to reconsider this decision.”

“Currently, we don’t know how many currently we don’t know how many LGBTIQ+ people and communities there are in this country or where they are located because the last census did not count our community in rendering our community invisible. That impacts decisions around how critical services for our community are planned and delivered.”

“Rainbow Labor NSW calls on the Federal Government to honour its commitment to include LGBTIQ+ Australians in the 2026 national Census.”

“There is nothing controversial about this. Research shows us that LGBTIQ+ Australians experience significantly worse social and economic outcomes when compared to other Australians with members of the community finding it difficult to access support services in the area of health, employment, and other services. How can we address these inequities if we do not have the data to inform the best approach?”

“Excluding LGBTIQ+ Australians from the national Census data is demeaning and alienating and enhances the feeling of otherness experienced by members of our community. This is an opportunity for the federal government to promote and celebrate the diversity of this country and the LGBTIQ+ community.”

“We deserve better than this”

On social media, Rainbow Labor also released a statement urging the government to make the Census inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community, saying, “without being included in the Census data our community remains invisible in the eyes of the nation”.

“Every delay denies our community the right to seen, be heard and to be helped.

“We deserve better than this. It’s time to count us in!”

LGBTQIA+ advocates in shock after recent slew of broken promises

The news that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Labor federal government was abandoning promises to include LGBTQIA+ questions in the 2026 Census came as a shock.

It was met with swift, widespread criticism from advocates and the LGBTQIA+ community as a whole.

Peak bodies around the country expressed shock at the news, and outrage at the decision and its long term impacts on LGBTQIA+ Australians.

“The federal government has betrayed LGBTQIA+ people around Australia who will again be rendered invisible in 2026 because the census won’t ask appropriate questions about who they are and how they live,” said Anna Brown, CEO of Equality Australia.

With the combined recent news of LGBTQIA+ Census questions and LGBTQIA+ protections in the religious discrimination amendments both allegedly being abandoned, advocates are shocked, furious, and disappointed.

Some are even calling for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to banned from participating in LGBTQIA+ events, such as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Longtime community advocate Rodney Croome said in a statement, “Mr Albanese should not be invited to any LGBTIQA+ event or parade until he counts us in the Census and protects LGBTIQA+ teachers and students from discrimination”.

“The Government’s betrayal of our community will inevitably mean Federal Labor will lose yet more votes of LGBTIQA+ people at the next election,” said Croome.

“Mr Albanese may have marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge for World Pride last year, but in the eyes of many LGBTIQA+ Australians he has now pulled up the draw bridge to equality.”