Petition for Yazidi Recognition in the 2026 Census

Sami Sheebo, principal petitioner, has received an official response regarding petition EN6775, which called for the inclusion of Yazidi language, religion, and ethnicity as distinct categories in the 2026 Australian Census.

In a letter addressed to Ms Susan Templeman MP, Chair of the Standing Committee on Petitions, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, Hon. Dr Andrew Leigh MP, acknowledged the importance of the petition for the Yazidi community and the wider Australian society.

Dr Leigh confirmed that the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has completed its topic review for the 2026 Census. While the Census will continue using the same question design as 2021, important updates will be implemented:

• Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish), spoken by many Yazidis, has now been recognised as a stand-alone language in the Australian Standard Classification of Languages (ASCL).

• The Australian Standard Classification of Cultural and Ethnic Groups (ASCCEG) and the Australian Standard Classification of Religious Groups (ASCRG) both contain a Yazidi category, ensuring recognition of Yazidi ancestry and religion in Census data.

Dr Leigh also noted that the ABS is committed to supporting Yazidi participation in the upcoming Census and working with the community to ensure visibility in official statistics.

This is a significant step forward in acknowledging the Yazidi community’s identity and presence in Australia, helping government and community organisations better understand and respond to their needs.