People from more than fifteen different countries joined together at Launceston’s Albert Hall to become Australian citizens on Friday.
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A cry of “Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi” came from the crowd following the Australian National Anthem, a cheer to show their pride at formally becoming members of our national community.
David Hringngen and his three children, Melody, Rosy and Reuben, were among those to become citizens.
The family came to Tasmania from Myanmar as refugees in 2011.
Mr Hringngen said they loved everything about Australia.
“It’s a peaceful country, and the weather and the people of Australia,” he said.
He said the whole family were very excited to become citizens.
“Unfortunately my wife hasn’t got [citizenship] yet… [but] it’s very important because we live in Australia, and if we are Australian we can choose everyone who is our representative in parliament and it is very important,” Mr Hringngen said.
Members of the Rai family from Bhutan also joined the line-up of new Australian citizens recognised at the ceremony.
Subash Sangson Rai stood alongside his brother, partner and father, to pledge loyalty to his new home country.
“All the people are friendly, and Australia is a really beautiful country and we feel really lucky to be here because we lived for 19 years in a refugee camp in Nepal,” he said.
“It was not a good facility over there, with no education and no electricity, after that we got a really good chance to come to Australia.
“It’s a really big thanks to the Australian government who provide for us to come here and I am really excited to be an Australian.”
His family arrived in Tasmania in September 2010,
“I am working, my brother is starting at highschool and my partner is working also,” he said. “[Citizenship] is very important because my dad is the citizen of Bhutan, but [when] we were kicked from the country we lose our citizenship, but today we get the opportunity to get the citizenship of Australia, which is very important to us.”
Mayor Albert van Zetten said it was a special and exciting time. “You hear some of the stories of where they have been in their life, and how they come out here and realise what a great place it is to live,” he said. “They appreciate Launceston, and they appreciate the freedom they have.”
