Senate wants census legal advice released

The Senate has backed a motion calling for the government solicitor's legal advice on the 2016 census to be tabled.

The Senate has called on the federal government to release legal advice provided to the Australian Bureau of Statistics over its bungled 2016 census.

A motion by crossbencher Nick Xenophon on Monday calls for the government solicitor's advice to be tabled by Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, a separate motion by Greens and crossbenchers calling on the government to direct the ABS to issue a statement declaring no one would be fined for failing to complete the census, failed.