Every five years, Australia conducts the Census – the national snapshot revealing who we are, how we live and what we need.

This year, it will be held on August 11.

Governments rely on it to plan hospitals, schools, transport and housing, while researchers use it to examine how the country changes.

Read more: 85% of Australians will complete the census online. Here’s how to avoid potential scams

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (First Nations), it influences decisions that directly affect funding and essential services.

First Nations and the Census

The Census has a complicated history with First Nations peoples.

Until 1967, First Nations peoples were excluded from being counted.

Today, many First Nations communities question how their information is collected, used, who controls it, and if it ultimately supports or harms them.

Recognising Australia is evolving, new questions will be in the 2026 Census. It will include questions on sex recorded at birth, gender identity and sexual orientation and expanded ancestry options.

Read more: For the first time, the census will ask your sexual orientation. My new study shows why it matters

However, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said it needed longer to consult with First Nations community representatives before including a potential new question about First Nations’ cultural identity in the Census.

The decision to not include the potential new question will further erode many First Nations peoples’ trust in national data collection.

A recent Murray-Darling Water and Environmental Research Program project completed by the One Basin Cooperative Research........

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