Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

1. That the Senate notes that:

a. in briefings prepared for the Assistant Treasurer, the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicated that the October 2019 field test for the 2021 Census would include questions on sexual orientation and gender identity;

b. the Australian Statistician has given evidence to the Economics Legislation Committee that the Assistant Treasurer, or his office, expressed a preference about the use of forms without questions on sexual orientation or gender identity in the field trial; and

c. the October 2019 field trial proceeded without questions on sexual orientation or gender identity.

2. That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Assistant Treasurer, by no later than 2 pm on 5 December 2019, all communications to the Australian Bureau of Statistics from the Assistant Treasurer, or his office, in relation to these questions, including any reasons for not proceeding with these questions in the field trial.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The ABS did not seek a decision from the minister on the operation of the census test. The Australian Statistician is responsible for determining the content and the objectives of the testing program for the census. Advice from the ABS to the minister on the census test and census were tabled in the Senate last week under an OPD from Senator Rice.

Question agreed to.