Who can get a separate Census form?

Anyone who feels that their truth is not being accurately reflected by the person completing their household’s Census form is entitled to request a separate form.

Why might someone want a separate Census form?

You may prefer to use a separate, personal Census form if you are not comfortable sharing details about yourself, such as your sexual orientation or religion, with the other people in your household.

Separate Census Form – Census – Not Religious? Mark 'No Religion'

Do you need a separate Census form?

Need to answer privately?

If you want to answer the Census religion question privately, here’s what you need to do:

Be patient and persevere.
Call the Census Contact Centre on 1800 181 227. After a lengthy introduction, choose Option 2.
From the next two options, choose Option 2, where there will be a further wait where you will be asked to have your Census number ready (but don’t worry if you don’t know it).
Explain that you would like to complete the Census separately on a personal form for reasons of confidentiality. If you know your Census number, provide it. If not, you will need to provide your address. This will make sure your form is linked to your address when it is processed.
You can ask for a separate Census number to enable you to complete your Census online. Or you can request a paper form. It will be sent to an address of your choice.
When you complete your Census, take care to enter the same name, date of birth, and your sex recorded at birth as entered on the household form, where possible. Very close equivalents of name will be sufficient but try to get it exact. These details will ensure your separate form is included in the household and not duplicated.
Answer as many questions about yourself as possible. If more than one Census form is submitted for the same person, the form with the most complete information about the person will be counted. This means it’s important to answer as many questions as possible about yourself in your separate form.
Send your completed form according to the instructions provided to you online, or on the paper form.

You can find similar information on the Census website at Completing the Census separately from your household.

Why might you want a separate form?

By default, the Census is completed on a household form, with the ‘head of household’ (typically one or both parents) answering online or on paper for everyone in the household.

That works for information about the dwelling and the household, but it also means one person answers the personal questions for everybody else.

Many of those questions go to the heart of identity: sexual orientation, gender identity, health and disability, income, cultural background and religious or non-religious belief.

Some people cannot freely express their beliefs at home; others live in high-control environments where challenging the head of household would be unsafe or worse.

Everyone in Australia has a fundamental human right to answer the religion question according to their own beliefs.

If the answer given on your behalf will not be accurate, be sure to request a separate form from the ABS.

Your responses to sensitive questions, religion included, will then replace those provided for you.

The ABS has explicitly encouraged this option, including for people wanting privacy on religion.