Post by Kiwi Frontline on Jul 31, 2019 5:25:40 GMT 12
Bay of Plenty Times 31/7/9
PUT ‘NEW ZEALANDER’ AS OPTION ON FORMS
One can only marvel at the success of the Black Caps, Silver Ferns and All Blacks and in many other fields of human endeavour.
They bring a sense of pride for all New Zealanders. They epitomise, we are one.
The problem is certain councils in our area do not reflect that. One council has a survey form included in the election forms which asks for ethnicity; it is optional. It lists NZ European, Indian, Chinese, Maori, Cook Island Maori and other, to name but a few. Nowhere does it simply say New Zealander.
Now they are not the exception, this form reflects many circulated by the political classes, but what happens if Maori wish to be identified as a New Zealander?
By the way. you have to show you have NZ citizenship before you get to this section, so there is no need for the public sector to gather this information unless they want to sow division.
Even though it is optional, it is the logic of division, in my view, that is so evident, It is evident in so many other government forms. We have to stop the political class forcing apart people on race and start to minimise the divisions, not entrench them.
We are one. (Abridged)
JOHN CLEMENTS, Katikati
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers
PUT ‘NEW ZEALANDER’ AS OPTION ON FORMS
One can only marvel at the success of the Black Caps, Silver Ferns and All Blacks and in many other fields of human endeavour.
They bring a sense of pride for all New Zealanders. They epitomise, we are one.
The problem is certain councils in our area do not reflect that. One council has a survey form included in the election forms which asks for ethnicity; it is optional. It lists NZ European, Indian, Chinese, Maori, Cook Island Maori and other, to name but a few. Nowhere does it simply say New Zealander.
Now they are not the exception, this form reflects many circulated by the political classes, but what happens if Maori wish to be identified as a New Zealander?
By the way. you have to show you have NZ citizenship before you get to this section, so there is no need for the public sector to gather this information unless they want to sow division.
Even though it is optional, it is the logic of division, in my view, that is so evident, It is evident in so many other government forms. We have to stop the political class forcing apart people on race and start to minimise the divisions, not entrench them.
We are one. (Abridged)
JOHN CLEMENTS, Katikati
sites.google.com/site/kiwifrontline/letters-submitted-to-newspapers