2026 Census topic consultation
Australia’s increasing cultural and linguistic diversity highlights the need for more comprehensive data collection on multilingualism. Currently, the Census captures limited information on linguistic diversity, focusing mainly on the use of a non-English language at home. However, this approach does not reflect the full scope of Australia’s multilingual landscape, such as cases where different languages are spoken within households or a person’s preferred language differs from the household language. More accurate data on linguistic diversity would improve the delivery of services and policies, particularly for culturally and linguistically diverse communities, who were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and extreme weather events due to communication barriers.
Mapping linguistic diversity through the Census is essential to capture small and geographically dispersed populations, offering a complete picture of Australia’s linguistic landscape. This data will be crucial as migration increases, helping plan for language services and ensuring equitable access to information in people’s preferred languages. The submission also recommends further consideration of topics like gender identity and sexual orientation for inclusion in the 2026 Census, as well as improved data extraction functionalities to support intersectional analysis while safeguarding individual privacy.
