Losing our religion? Australia would no longer be majority religious if format of census question changed, survey finds

Australia might cease to be a majority religious nation if the format of the census question on religion is altered, according to a recent survey. The poll tested two different question formats.

The existing census format, which presents a list of common religions alongside options for "no religion" and "other," saw 43% of respondents select "no religion" in the survey. This aligns with the 39% who chose "no religion" in the 2021 census.

However, when respondents were first asked a simple "yes/no" question – "do you have a religion?" – and then prompted to specify if they answered "yes," 54% indicated they had no religion. This suggests that approximately 2 million adults might be misclassified under the current system.

The survey was commissioned by the "Census – Not Religious? Mark No Religion" campaign. Campaign spokesperson Michael Dove stated that the Australian Bureau of Statistics' current method overestimates the country's religious adherence and underestimates the number of non-religious individuals. He emphasized the importance of accurate data for informing policy and funding decisions.

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We trust the ABS to deliver us high-quality data that we can rely on and be confident that the right decisions are being made on the basis of the right data.