top of page

New Citizens Welcomed Ahead of Australian Citizenship Day

  • Writer: intouch Magazine
    intouch Magazine
  • Sep 20, 2022
  • 2 min read

Siley Altaya who moved to Australia from the Philippines in 2017 and became a citizen on Friday

More than 70 people from 25 nations spanning the globe have been welcomed as new Australian citizens at a ceremony in Lake Macquarie ahead of Australian Citizenship Day.

 

Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser, who presided over the ceremony at Rathmines Theatre, said seeing people from so many backgrounds and cultures take the Citizenship Pledge was always an honour.

“Some have lived here most of their lives. Others are much more recent arrivals, and each has a unique story about why and how they came here,” she said.

“But they all bring skills, passions and life experiences that add to the fabric of our community.”

Friday’s ceremony took place ahead of Australian Citizenship Day on Saturday, a date in the calendar that encourages all Aussies to take pride in their citizenship and think about what unites us as Australians.

Cr Fraser said Australia was one of the world’s most culturally diverse nations, with citizenship a common uniting bond.

“In the past 75 years, we’ve welcomed more than five million new citizens to our shores,” she said.

Almost 15 per cent of people in Lake Macquarie were born overseas, and almost 30 per cent have at least one parent who was not born in Australia.

England, New Zealand, India, South Africa and the Philippines are the city’s top five countries of birth, after Australia.

Siley Altaya, from the Philippines, was one of the people taking the Australian Citizenship Pledge after moving to Australia in 2017.

“My husband and daughter are both Australian citizens and I wanted to join them,” she said.

“Today is very emotional for me. It’s been a long journey, and this is finally the last step.”

“It’s just awesome.”

GET INTOUCH THIS MONTH
INT_APR25_Cover.jpg
SIX SQUARE GIF.gif
Lovedale Long Lunch_Banner_Square.jpg
Laneway Theatre Flicks Square.png
Dashville Square.gif
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Square Banner.jpg
HISS SQ-APR20.png

Thanks for subscribing
We'll be intouch soon! 

ABOUT INTOUCH MAGAZINE

Every month intouch magazine captures the unique spirit of our region and grabs the attention of the community. Intouch magazine showcases what’s hot, what’s on and who’s who with a dynamic blend of inspirational articles, lifestyle features, fashion, events, food and travel – it’s the go-to source for people living in (or visiting) Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens and The Hunter Valley. It’s the place to be seen to build your reputation, tell your story, launch a new enterprise and keep the community intouch both in print and online.

CONTACT US

QUICK LINKS

297 Brunker Rd, Adamstown NSW 2289 

PH +61 2 4943 0888 

EMAIL US

© 2015-2024 Two Tribes Media. Published monthly by Two Tribes Media. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint or quote excerpt granted by written request only. While every attempt has been made, Two Tribes media cannot guarantee the legality, completeness or accuracy of the information presented and accepts no warranty or responsibility for such.

subscribe to  intouch

bottom of page