Australian Census Will Stop Collecting Data on ‘Ethnicity’ Citing ‘Significant Issues’

‘The testing showed that the public is unlikely to have a consistent understanding of what ethnic identity is,’ the ABS said.

Australian Bureau of Statistics logo in Canberra, Australia. Michael Masters/Getty Images

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has backflipped on its decision to collect Australians’ ethnic data, citing “significant issues” and “complexities.”

This comes amid criticisms that the decision will prevent Australians from knowing the change in demography as the country hits record migration numbers.