A decision not to include questions about sexual orientation in the next census was made to avoid "divisive debates" on the issue, the acting prime minister says.
The federal government confirmed on Sunday topics on gender and sexuality would not be included in the 2026 census, despite concerns the LGBTQI community were excluded from the national survey in 2021.
The decision had prompted criticism LGBTQI Australians would be rendered invisible in the population snapshot.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles said the same set of questions would be taken to the 2026 census to avoid a fear campaign in the community.
"We don't want to open up a divisive debate in relation to this issue. We've seen how divisive debates have played out across out country," he told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.
"The last thing we want to do is inflict that debate on a sector of our community right now, that's why we're taking, in broad terms, the set of questions that went to the last census."
It's estimated one in 10 Australians identify as being in the LGBTQI community, according to a 2019 report by the federal health department.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics, which runs the census, previously said it would consider topics on gender and sexuality in the 2026 survey after a complaint was made to the Human Rights Commission.
The lack of question on sexuality had led to concerns appropriate support would not be provided by the federal government to LGBTQI services.
Mr Marles said the census would not be undermined by the topic not being included.
"We want the census top be gathering as much useful data for our country as possible, as we see this as being the best way forward," he said.
"We're confident that in taking forward the questions which went to the last census to the next, that is the nest way which we get the most accurate picture across the board of the Australian society."
Independent MP Allegra Spender hit out at the decision, saying she had written to the government urging for the call to be reversed.
"The government has pulled the plug and given absolutely no explanation, which is, frankly, insulting to the people that this matters to," she told ABC Radio.
"If we have the right data, we can make better public decisions, but it is also about making sure that the census, which is like a snapshot of the country, accurately reflects the ... true diversity of this country."
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