The Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia has called on members of the Greek Orthodox community to clearly declare their ethnic background and religious affiliation in the upcoming 2026 Australian Census.
The Census of Population and Housing will take place on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, and will be conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Held every five years, the Census records information about every person and household in Australia, providing data used to plan healthcare, transport, education, infrastructure and services for local communities.
Participation in the Census is compulsory under Australian law. Questions cover a wide range of areas, including age, country of birth, cultural background, living arrangements, employment and education. Personal information collected through the Census is protected by law and is not shared by the Australian Bureau of Statistics with third parties, including other government agencies.
Ahead of the Census, the Holy Eparchial Synod issued a circular encouraging the faithful to pay particular attention to questions concerning their cultural heritage and to accurately record both their Greek origin and Orthodox Christian identity.
The Synod’s central message to the community was clear: “Let us declare that we are GREEK ORTHODOX.”
In its circular, the Synod said that Archbishop Makarios of Australia and the bishops of the Archdiocese have consistently sought to bear witness to the Orthodox faith and Greek heritage within Australian society through their lives and personal example.
However, the hierarchs stressed that the forthcoming Census presented an important opportunity not only to demonstrate “who we are” but also to establish “how many we are.”
According to the Synod, an accurate count of Australians of Greek descent would enable government authorities and public services to obtain a reliable picture reflecting the actual size of the community and, consequently, better understand its needs in the years ahead.
The Holy Eparchial Synod also encouraged Greek Australians to devote particular attention to elderly family members who may require assistance in completing the Census.
By doing so, it said, the community could help ensure that the results of the 2026 Census reflect as accurately as possible the presence and identity of Hellenism in Australia.
Watch the video in Greek:
