The Australian Bureau of Statistics has ditched preparations to ask about sexual orientation and gender identity in the 2021 census, although a question on whether people are male, female or non-binary is still under consideration. On 15 October, the ABS will test the census on 40,000 households in Wagga Wagga and south of Brisbane, including proposed new questions on non-binary sex, long-term health conditions and Australian defence force service. The test follows a consultation process in 2018 that identified eight potential new topics. The ABS has decided not to proceed with questions on gender identity, sexual orientation, respondents’ journey to education and smoking. The Equality Australia chief executive, Anna Brown, told Guardian Australia: “It is disappointing that the ABS will not be collecting information about sexual orientation in the next census.