Census form completion affects public services funding

The 2026 Australian census run by the Australian Bureau of Statistics counts every person in Australia on Tuesday August 11 across 10.8 million households.

New optional questions for over 16-year-olds ask about sexual orientation and gender, joining religion as voluntary questions.

Ancestry questions expanded from two to four responses; sex question wording now reads 'sex recorded at birth'.

Failure to complete the census can attract a fine of A$364 a day, and false information risks a fine of up to $3,640.

Census data informs decisions on infrastructure like sewage systems, hospitals, and schools.