With reference to the 2006 Australian Census form:

(1)   Why was no option given to people in same-sex relationships.

(2)   Why was ‘defacto partner’ an option to answer question 5 but was not given as an option to answer question 6.

(3)   Why was ‘relationships of significance’, as now described in several Australian jurisdictions, not offered as a Census option.

(4)   What changes to questions about personal relationships were made to the Census form between 2002 and 2006; if no changes were made, why not.

(1)   People living together in same-sex relationships were able to record their relationship in response to Question 5 on the Census form.

(2)   ‘De facto partner’ is a social marital status concept and is not formalised through registration. As question 6 asks for information on registered marital status, ‘de facto’ was not included.

(3)   During extensive consultation on the content of the 2006 Census, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) was not requested to collect information on relationships of significance.

(4)   Between 2002 and 2006, there have been no changes of substance to the questions about personal relationships. This is because the ABS believes that known user requirements on these relationships have been addressed through questions 5 and 6. Cosmetic changes, for example the positioning on the page and removal of the tick box for the ‘other, please specify’ option from question 5, have been made to improve the recording of responses to this question.