The census is a powerful tool for government to track the population, but it is also an important time for gays to stand up and be counted.  According to Damien Meyer of Gay and Lesbian Equality (GALE) it is important same sex households are recognised.  

The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines "Same-sex couples" as "two persons of the same sex who report a defacto partnership in the relationship question and usually live in the same household."

Filling out the census to include same sex couples:

Many of us tend to think of defacto as a term that applies to unmarried heterosexual partners.  Few gay men or women tend to think of themselves as being in a defacto relationship.  Adam Carr from Bnews says census officials in the States got over this problem by using the term "unmarried partner".  

Here in Australia the only way we have to identify ourselves is to tick the defacto box.  The disappointment is that gays and lesbians who are not in a relationship or don't live with a partner have no way of identifying themselves.

The census office has tried to reduce the number of questions over the years so there is probably little change a minority group like gays and lesbians will aver get a specific question identifying their sexuality.

Some people may not feel comfortable identifying themselves as living in a same sex relationship because they fill out their name and address on the front of the census form.  But Damian Meyer from GALE has told Bnews this is unfounded.  All the census information is strictly confidential.  There is absolutely no fear of disclosure.  The forms submitted will be destroyed after the statistical information is taken down, unless you tick the box agreeing that it be kept till the year 2100 (part of the Centenary of Federation)