Australian Census May Under‑Count Hindi Speakers, Community Leaders Say

Australian census data may be overlooking a sizable portion of Hindi‑speaking residents, according to Dr Subhash Sharma, president of the Hindi Shiksha Sangh Inc. in Australia. Sharma, who has been promoting Hindi literature and education for over 25 years, argues that the current language question on the census forces respondents to select a single primary language, which does not reflect the multilingual dynamics of many Indian‑Australian households. As a result, speakers who use Hindi alongside English or other regional languages are likely to be missed, skewing official statistics.

The discrepancy matters because census figures guide government funding, language‑service provision and community support programs. An undercount could limit resources for Hindi classes, cultural festivals and media tailored to the diaspora. Sharma is calling on the Australian Bureau of Statistics to revise the questionnaire to allow multiple language entries, ensuring a more accurate picture of linguistic diversity.

The issue highlights a broader challenge for multicultural societies: balancing simple data collection with the complex realities of immigrant families. Accurate representation in national surveys is essential for preserving heritage languages and informing policy that serves Australia’s growing South‑Asian community.