Whilst looking at some job advertisements I came across the most bizarre equal opportunity and diversity form. Questions range from stating ones age, gender and sexuality. (Yes they want to know your sexuality!). Just love the weird and wacky options they have for ethnicity. Where do I fit in? “Other” perhaps? If asked I always write down “Australian”. Reminds me of a story of a Kiwi friend of mine who is of both Maori and European descend. She had to fill in an NHS form at a hospital in London. She did not fit into the prescribed ethnic classifications so she put down “other”. The nurse is said to have remarked, well you look ‘white’ just tick ‘white’, and my friend replied but she wasn’t ‘just white’.

I realise this is somewhat of a standard practise in the UK but seriously, this is political correctness gone mad. Why do they need to know what ethnicity we are? Shouldn’t the best person for the job get it? Why social engineer this form of discrimination? The concept of affirmative action never sat well with me. It goes against some basic fundamental principles. Whatever you call it, positive or reserve, it is still discrimination.