About friggen time!

Being classified as a 'New Zealand European' has always bugged me - and I hold a British passport! I can't imagine how it feels for 5th generation New Zealander's to be tagged with a label associating them with a colonial past they have zero afinity with.

It appears that Stats NZ have finally come to their senses and acknowledged that the good folk of my homeland might actually like to be recognised as 'New Zealander's'.

People who describe their ethnicity as "New Zealander" or "Kiwi" will have their answers recorded in the main Census for the first time this year.

Statistics New Zealand chief demographer Mansoor Khawaja says he is ready to bow to public opinion and stop classifying people who give these answers to the Census ethnicity question under the official category "New Zealand European".

I don't think that this is insignificant. I desperatley hope it is another little step towards 'nationhood' and in its own little way moves us away from the horrific cultural cringe that currently pervades.

Also - I hope that this is not solely the domain of honky's! I am not suggesting that Maori people renounce or forget their ancestry at all, in the same way as a Pom is a Pom - but if someone, anyone, wants to be a pure and simple New Zealander - thank god they now can be.