With the next Census locked in for 11 August 2026, we’ll be running another public campaign in the lead-up to Census night.
We were grateful for the support of so many in spreading our campaign message at the 2021 Census.
Once again, there is a great need for a campaign to encourage Australians to reflect on their relationship with religion. This is because the Australian Bureau of Statistics has decided to re-use the biased religion question – presuming each respondent has a religion.
Several non-religious and pro-secular groups are joining forces for the campaign: Secular Association of New South Wales; Rationalist Society of Australia; Humanists Victoria; Humanists Australia; National Secular Lobby, Australian Skeptics (Victoria Branch) and Recovering From Religion Australia, and there may be other groups participating further into the campaign.
Our campaign’s core message is: if you’re not religious, mark ‘No Religion’ on the Census.
We’re also encouraging Australians to consider three reasons for marking ‘No Religion’:
- Authenticity: Stand up for who you are today – be counted based on your current beliefs, not what you were in the past or what others may think you ought to be.
- Fairness: Ensure that all Australians are fairly represented and that religious organisations no longer receive special privileges based on inaccurate data.
- Integrity: Say what’s true for you and don’t be swayed by the biased wording of the religion question on the Census or by religious organisations who don’t represent your views.
Your interest and support will make a real difference. Follow us on social media and share our campaign posts. By making a financial donation, you can help us deliver our key messages to millions of Australians leading up to Census day. Find out how your support will contribute to the campaign.
We’ll keep you informed of campaign progress over the coming months.
The Census 2026 Not Religious? Mark ‘No Religion’ campaign team