Readers' views: The ethnicity question

Many readers have agreed with Statistics NZ's decision to allow people to describe their ethnicity as "New Zealanders" or "Kiwis" in this year's census.

Last Friday the Herald reported the change - which demographers fear will make it harder to understand changes in the country's racial make-up - and asked for your views.

This is a selection of the replies:

I identify myself as a Pakeha and I will continue to do so. Ethnicity is a subjective cultural construct, so we all ought to be able to choose how we identify ourselves. [Waikato University demographer] Ian Pool is right though, if the statistics are to help in health planning, school building projections, etc, we need to find a mechanism to have the total ethnicity exactly 100 per cent of the population.

Professor David Williams

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Yes, we should all have the opportunity to declare ourselves as a NZer or Kiwi in the forthcoming census.

If however there is an opportunity for some to declare their root ethnicity this would be unacceptable. We are either one or the other. A "Maori" "New Zealand European" "Chinese" "Pacific Islander" "Indian" or a "New Zealander/Kiwi".

The additional option of declaring a root origin is divisive.

I am proud to be a New Zealander. But to call myself a European New Zealander confuses the issue.

Ralph Boggust

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My wife and I are fourth generation born and bred New Zealanders/Kiwis. nothing else, just Kiwis

Ken Raines

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People should be able to be described as New Zealander or Kiwi on Census papers. Why has it taken so long to get it there?

Margaret Petch

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Of course we "New Zealanders" should. I have never done a Census before, but if I was ever to do one, I would describe myself as a New Zealander.

I have no other significant blood in me but white Kiwi. My great-great grandparents were born here, they weren't bitzas. This angers me as all the other races have their own box to tick, us New Zealanders have to write our ethnicity down or tick the box "New Zealand European".

I'm NOT European, I come from New Zealand, not Europe. Does Australia have in their Census European or do they have Australian? I am sick and tired of other races having precedence over us.

Kelly