Ahead of the splashing, the cricket and the pet parade on Gunnedah’s Australia Day came a serious moment as four people became Australian citizens at Donnelly Fields.
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Gunnedah joined towns and regions across the country in welcoming the nation’s newest citizens on Australia Day.
Jacobus and Maria Buys from South Africa, Aisling Sweeney from England and Fangdao Zhang from China pledged their loyalty to Australia.
Gunnedah mayor Owen Hasler, said it was an opportunity to reflect on the importance of citizenship as a unifying bond strengthening the local community.
“Australia Day is a time for us to congratulate our newest citizens and welcome them to the Australian family,” Cr Hasler said.
“It’s also an opportunity for all citizens, new or old, to reflect on what it means to be Australian.
“On Australia Day we should all celebrate our shared values and recommit our determination to make Australia an even better place for future generations.”
Reverend Lyle Sims told the audience people who had lived in Australia since birth sometimes did not realise what a privilege it was.
“Maybe not everyone stating their allegiances today have been through the trials of being an actual refugee, but there are plenty of people who have been through that kind of desperation,” he said.
“Maybe you’re sitting here this morning and you’ve lived here [Australia] all your life, and haven’t had to come on a boat or wait in queues for visa and immigration applications, but nonetheless you’ve been through some pretty horrific times yourself.
“And while it mightn’t have been physical, you can identify in other ways with what it’s like to have your feet tangled in a rope and going ‘under’ the ‘water’. If that’s you, you can see where this person’s coming from.
“It’s pretty good to get a new start isn’t it?”
This Australia Day, more than 16,000 people from around 150 countries became Australian citizens at close to 400 citizenship ceremonies.
