Australia’s newest citizens welcomed this week

 

This week, more than 22,200 people from over 150 countries have been invited to attend one of more than 430 citizenship ceremonies taking place nationwide to mark Australia Day.

2024 is a special year for citizenship, as we mark 75 years since the creation of the new status of Australian citizen. The first Australian citizenship ceremony took place on 3 February 1949. At Albert Hall in Canberra, seven people from seven nations became citizens. Each one represented each state of Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.

The journey to becoming an Australian citizen is often a culmination of hundreds of small decisions and choices that bring conferees to their special day. New citizens are officially recognised as being ‘Aussie’ and formalise their membership of the Australian family. New citizens often refer to becoming a citizen as one of the most significant moments in their lives. Citizenship provides for a shared identity which unites all Australians while respecting our diversity.

We encourage all Australians to support and welcome your community’s newest Australian citizens by attending a local citizenship ceremony. Contact your local government council for more information on how you can attend.

You can also watch live the Governor-General and the Prime Minister mark Australia Day in Canberra at the National Citizenship and Flag Raising Ceremony. Tune into ABC TV or stream on ABC iView from 9:00am on 26 January.

It’s also a great time to discover the stories of Australia’s Local Heroes; everyday Australians who have made extraordinary contributions to their local communities. The Local Hero Award is one of the four categories at the Australian of the Year Awards, proudly sponsored by the Department of Home Affairs. You can watch the live ceremony from 7:30pm on 25 January on ABC TV or stream on ABC iView.

News from Australia Government Department of Home Affairs.