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Twenty Canberrans from ten countries have become Australian citizens at the Australia Day ceremony on Tuesday. They were among the 12,000 people from more than 130 nations who attended 430 ceremonies across the country. From the shore of Lake Burley Griffin with a backdrop of Parliament House, the De Jesus family were among the group who took the exciting but nerve-wracking step. Helena and Michael moved to Australia from the Philippines with their sons Miguel and Angelo exactly five years ago. They came for the “promise of a better life”, Helena said as the family accepted their citizenship certificates at Tuesday’s ceremony. The family have had extra cause for celebration, with Angelo’s 11th birthday on Tuesday and Helena’s the day before. With COVID-19 closing international borders, the De Jesus family haven’t been able to get to the Philippines for almost two years. They miss their family and are hoping to get back soon. “Our family is still there, it’s just us here,” Helena said. “Our parents are back in the Philippines. Usually they visit us here, but because of COVID they can’t.” The ceremony looked different to years prior. New citizens, dignitaries and Australian of the Year award finalists and winners were spaced out across the lawns at Rond Terrace. There was no hand-shaking nor hugs. The annual flag raising ceremony also underwent a change. Since the Canadian flagpole had to be removed late last year, organisers arranged a fly-over of the Australian flag. A MH-90 Seahawk helicopter flew over the event around 9.30am carrying a giant Australian flag. Moments later a C-130 Hercules transport plane flew directly over the lakeside event. Prime Minister Scott Morrison gave an address, saying there was “no escaping” Australia’s “brutal beginnings” of colonisation, but coming out in strong support of January 26. “We do it on this day when the course of this land changed forever,” he said. “There is no escaping or cancelling that fact, for better or worse.” “Our stories since that day have been of sorrow and of joy, of loss and redemption, of failure and of success,” he said. “We are now a nation of more than 25 million stories. All important, all unique, and all to be respected.” Meanwhile, hundreds marched towards Parliament House in protest the government’s unwillingness to change the date. It took Merete Aarhaug from Norway more than a decade to get her Australian citizenship. Norway only started accepting dual-citizenship last year which meant Merete could finally embrace her Australian home without giving up her roots. The move to Australia for study was the start of the “long journey” when Merete decided she wanted to stay for good. “This is my home,” she said. She took the stage to accept her certificate on Tuesday in traditional Norwegian dress. Her mother had made matching outfits for her and her young daughter for the day. And to celebrate both her home countries, Merete planned to go ice-skating with her family followed by a classic Aussie barbecue. The Urolagin family swapped freezing Scotland for the warmer weather in Canberra five years ago. Having lived in busy cities in India and the United Kingdom, Gayatri Urolagin says Canberra is the perfect mix of a country town and a big city. Driving her daughter Sonal to any of her 16 extra curricular activities (which include piano, violin and singing) is liking “being a pilot” she said, thanks to our traffic-free roads. Gayatri loves Canberra’s multicultural community and said her family had been welcomed with open arms since they arrived.
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Twenty Canberrans from ten countries have become Australian citizens at the Australia Day ceremony on Tuesday.
They were among the 12,000 people from more than 130 nations who attended 430 ceremonies across the country.
From the shore of Lake Burley Griffin with a backdrop of Parliament House, the De Jesus family were among the group who took the exciting but nerve-wracking step.
Helena and Michael moved to Australia from the Philippines with their sons Miguel and Angelo exactly five years ago.
They came for the “promise of a better life”, Helena said as the family accepted their citizenship certificates at Tuesday’s ceremony.
The family have had extra cause for celebration, with Angelo’s 11th birthday on Tuesday and Helena’s the day before.
With COVID-19 closing international borders, the De Jesus family haven’t been able to get to the Philippines for almost two years. They miss their family and are hoping to get back soon.
“Our family is still there, it’s just us here,” Helena said.
“Our parents are back in the Philippines. Usually they visit us here, but because of COVID they can’t.”
The ceremony looked different to years prior. New citizens, dignitaries and Australian of the Year award finalists and winners were spaced out across the lawns at Rond Terrace. There was no hand-shaking nor hugs.
A MH-90 Seahawk helicopter flew over the event around 9.30am carrying a giant Australian flag. Moments later a C-130 Hercules transport plane flew directly over the lakeside event.
A MH90 Seahawk flies over the proceedings carrying the Australian flag. Picture: Keegan Carroll
Prime Minister Scott Morrison gave an address, saying there was “no escaping” Australia’s “brutal beginnings” of colonisation, but coming out in strong support of January 26.
“We do it on this day when the course of this land changed forever,” he said.
“There is no escaping or cancelling that fact, for better or worse.”
“Our stories since that day have been of sorrow and of joy, of loss and redemption, of failure and of success,” he said.
“We are now a nation of more than 25 million stories. All important, all unique, and all to be respected.”
It took Merete Aarhaug from Norway more than a decade to get her Australian citizenship. Norway only started accepting dual-citizenship last year which meant Merete could finally embrace her Australian home without giving up her roots.
Magnus, 12, Morten, 7, Torah, 6, Merete Aarhaug and Paul Terawsky. Picture: Keegan Carroll
The move to Australia for study was the start of the “long journey” when Merete decided she wanted to stay for good.
“This is my home,” she said.
She took the stage to accept her certificate on Tuesday in traditional Norwegian dress. Her mother had made matching outfits for her and her young daughter for the day.
And to celebrate both her home countries, Merete planned to go ice-skating with her family followed by a classic Aussie barbecue.
The Urolagin family swapped freezing Scotland for the warmer weather in Canberra five years ago.
Gayatri, Sejal, 6, Sonal, 13, and Mahantesh Urolagin. Picture: Keegan Carroll
Having lived in busy cities in India and the United Kingdom, Gayatri Urolagin says Canberra is the perfect mix of a country town and a big city.
Driving her daughter Sonal to any of her 16 extra curricular activities (which include piano, violin and singing) is liking “being a pilot” she said, thanks to our traffic-free roads.
Gayatri loves Canberra’s multicultural community and said her family had been welcomed with open arms since they arrived.
