Hongkongers push for distinct ancestry label in Australian census

Ahead of Tuesday's national census, Hongkongers in Australia are urging the ABS to recognise "Hongkonger" as its own ancestry rather than subsuming it under Chinese. The bureau follows the Australian Standard Classification of Cultural and Ethnic Groups, which currently lacks a separate Hong Kong category, so responses will be recorded as Chinese. Individuals like Kevin Yam plan to list "Hongkonger" to reflect their upbringing, but the form does not accommodate it.

Advocates including Jane Poon of the Australia-Hong Kong Link and former legislator Ted Hui, now an Australian resident, argue that Hong Kong's unique history, language and political experience merit distinct recognition. They also link the issue to broader concerns about China's new ethnic-unity law and its impact on minority groups in Australia. The ABS points to additional census items—country of birth, parental birthplaces and home language—as ways to capture diversity, while maintaining that the current classification system is under periodic review.