Census 2026: Not religious
The Humanist Society supports the call for a more accurate and inclusive question that reflects how Australians actually identify today, and we continue to support the Census 2026: Not religious? Mark ‘No religion’ campaign.
Latest Campaign update
Sign the petition: Fix the Census question on religion
Australia is becoming increasingly non-religious, but our Census question still assumes everyone has a religion.
Sign the petition and help push for better Census data.
History and Context
Currently, our Census data does not accurately reflect our Australia’s religious views.
The question currently asked in the Census – “What is the person’s religion?” – automatically assumes everyone has a religion. The phrasing of this question can lead people to respond based on their upbringing or culture, rather than their current practices or beliefs. The campaign argues that this leads to inaccurate responses that understate the number of non-religious people in Australia.
Recent surveys show that this undercount of non-religious people could be by as much as 11 percentage points.
At the 2026 Census, to be held on 11 August, we stand in solidarity with the Census 2026: Not religious? Mark ‘No religion’ campaign, and encourage you to help bring greater accuracy to Australia’s Census by reflecting your true beliefs when answering the religion question.
To learn more about the campaign, please use the link below: