Several residents of the City of Gosnells became Australian Citizens last week during a ceremony held at Mills Park in Beckenham, to celebrate Australian Citizenship Day.
The 177 new citizens hail from a diverse range of countries, including New Zealand, Kenya, Singapore, and Myanmar, and were presented with handwritten welcome letters from Year 5 and 6 students at Rehoboth Christian College.
Alongside City of Gosnells Deputy Mayor Serena Williamson and Councillors Peter Abetz, Saiful Islam, and Diane Lloyd, Mayor Terresa Lynes attended the ceremony and said the importance of the occasion was not lost on her.
“It brought on a mix of emotions, pride, joy, happiness and gratitude that we are such a diverse nation that is so accepting of people from all backgrounds, cultures and walks of life,” she said.
“It is a huge honour to be part of this special moment in their lives as they take the oath to become Australian Citizens.”
Also at the ceremony, Federal Member for Burt Matt Keogh spoke about Australia as the country for ‘a fair go’ and stressed the importance of welcoming people from diverse backgrounds.
“We respect and acknowledge the stories and histories of all Australians – those who have been here for generations, the many cultures that have come together to shape our modern nation since, and the newest Australians who have made the decision to call Australia home,” he said.
“On Australian Citizenship Day in particular, we had the opportunity to acknowledge what is a simple truth: we are a stronger, better country because of all of those who’ve come across the seas and joined their stories to ours.”
With over 40 per cent of residents in the City of Gosnells born overseas and more than 35 per cent speaking a language other than English at home, Mayor Lyness said this multiculturalism is a strength of the Gosnells community.
“This diversity contributes to a rich local culture, with opportunities for our residents to interact with, learn from and appreciate each other’s different cultural backgrounds and practices,” she said.
“[We] are proud to be one of the most culturally diverse local governments in Western Australia.”
