Liberals panned for inquiry call into Albanese census decision

The Coalition has foreshadowed a Senate inquiry into Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s “confused and chaotic” handling of the next census, as Albanese defends his “captain’s call” and the shifts in his position.

The Albanese government said on Sunday that new questions on sexual orientation and gender identity would be included in the next census in 2026.

The announcement was a second u-turn on an initial shock government decision to dump both questions. That decision broke an election promise, blindsided LGBTQIA+ advocates and sparked two weeks of national outcry.

On Monday, Liberal Senator Dean Smith gave notice of a motion in the Senate to release correspondence between the government and the Australian Bureau of Statistics on the matter.

Senator Smith also gave notice of a motion to refer the preparations for the 2026 census to a Senate committee for an inquiry.

The Coalition is accusing the Albanese government of interfering and undermining public confidence in the national survey.

“Labor’s confused and chaotic approach has created more questions than answers,” Senator Smith told The Australian last week.

“Any Labor intervention in the work of an independent statutory authority is unacceptable. The Coalition will continue to hold it to account in the Senate for its actions.”

MP Allegra Spender says inquiry will ‘stoke division’

But Independent MP for Wentworth Allegra Spender wants her Senate colleagues to oppose the inquiry, saying the move is disingenuous and “does nothing to help LGBTQ+ Australians.”

“It’s incredibly disappointing to see the Liberal Party seek to further politicise the inclusion of LGBTQ+ Australians in the upcoming census,” she said.

“Just a couple of weeks ago, Coalition leader Peter Dutton derided attempts to recognise the LGBTQ+ community as part of a ‘woke agenda’.

“Now the Liberal Party wants a parliamentary inquiry, which seems to be primarily for the purpose of political point-scoring.”

Independent MP Allegra Spender — Image: ABC News

Allegra Spender said she was “deeply concerned” about the impact such an inquiry would have on vulnerable members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Peak LGBTQIA+ groups have told her they don’t support such an inquiry, the Wentworth MP said, and she urged her colleagues to vote against one.

“Labor got it completely wrong when they initially announced they were excluding LGBTQ+ Australians from the 2026 census,” she said.

“But we have now reached a reasonable position, and it’s important we get on with the work.

“I fear [the inquiry] is yet another attempt to stoke division in our community.”

Anthony Albanese defends census debacle

Earlier, on Monday, Greens MP Stephen Bates asked Prime Minister Anthony Alabanese in the parliament about his census “captain’s call” and decision-making process.

Albanese responded, “The ABS came to the government with potential changes it planned to trial, including changes it had not recommended for the 2026 census.

“We paused that process to get it right. That is precisely what we have done. The government’s position follows further engagement with the community and additional discussions with the ABS.

“We ensured, for example, that only people aged over the age of consent will be asked questions on the new topic and that people can choose not to answer. Regulations to add this new topic will be finalised before the end of the year.”

But Stephen Bates pushed back on the government’s “condescending” responses to backlash, including that the community needed protection from “divisive debates”.

“We don’t expect much from the coalition on LGBTIQA+ issues, but we and I expected a hell of a lot more from Labor,” he said.

“The queer community is not weak. We do not always need to be protected. We can fight for ourselves.

“We’ve been campaigning for this census change for years. It was a fight we wanted and were willing to have.

“I was so proud to see the community unite and demand the government change its position.

“The pressure worked. We first saw the government agree to ask a question on sexual orientation, and then a few days later it agreed to ask one on gender identity.

“But the intersex community are still left behind. The Greens will continue to urge and pressure the government to work with the intersex community and the ABS on a path forward so that we can ensure everyone in the LGBTIQA+ community is counted.

“What we need now is a LGBTQIA+ human rights commissioner—someone working in the Australian Human Rights Commission to ensure that queer rights receive the full attention that they deserve.

“If the Labor Party are to have any hope of rebuilding trust with the queer community in this country, they should get on board and establish this commissioner.”