'Coded to Chinese': Hongkongers unable to list their ancestry on census night
People with Hong Kong heritage are frustrated that their ancestry will not be recognised as distinct from Chinese in the upcoming Australian census, despite years of lobbying and political turmoil.
Hongkongers are demanding to be recognized as a distinct ethnic group in the upcoming census, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The census, which will be taken on Tuesday, allows respondents to list four ancestries instead of two in previous years. However, the ABS has stated that Hongkonger is not an option in the ancestry category, as it is not a separate category in the Australian Standard Classification of Cultural and Ethnic Groups (ASCCEG).
The ABS explained that Hong Kong ancestry will continue to be coded as Chinese. Hongkongers feel frustrated by this decision, as they have their own distinct identity shaped by over 150 years of British rule, different education systems, and languages such as Cantonese. They argue that they should be able to identify as Hongkonger in the census, just as they can identify their language and country of birth.
The ABS maintains that the census aims to measure Australia's cultural and ethnic diversity through various questions, including country of birth, birth country of parents, and language used at home.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
