Townsville City Council Citizenship Ceremony

Premier; Members of Parliament; Mayor and Councillors; Service Chiefs; ladies and gentlemen; girls and boys.

I at once acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we gather, the Bindal and Wulgurukaba people, and pay respect to their Elders past and present – with encouragement to their young emerging leaders.

I am delighted to join you today as a witness to this important event in the life of our Queensland community.

It is particularly apt that today’s citizenship ceremony is part of a broader celebration, following the Flag Raising Ceremony that formally marks Australia Day, and the presentation of your Australia Day Awards. 

The timing is doubly significant, as 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Australian citizenship through legislation which was introduced on Australia Day 1949.

The official status of millions of Australians like me who were born before that date was: ‘British subject’.

On 26 January 1949, they became Australian citizens too.

I was four months old at the time, so I was not immediately aware of this momentous change in my status!

There is a substantial and welcome diversity among the newest group of Australian citizens here today – diversity of backgrounds, skills and life experience, and diversity in the reasons they chose to make Australia their home.

That diversity, combined with a shared commitment to Australia’s future and to the well-being of its communities, remains a major strength of Australian society.

That the diverse group here today has chosen to become citizens is a vote of confidence in the capacity of Australians to build further on that strength, striving together to create better lives for all.

That is why today is such an important day in their lives, and in ours.

Our new citizens gain the benefits and take on the responsibilities of becoming citizens of Australia.

Australia in turn gains the benefit of their energy, talent, and goodwill.

As Governor of Queensland, it is with great pleasure that I warmly welcome you as fully-fledged Australian citizens.

I wish you all every success in making a bright future for yourselves and your families and, as citizens, in contributing to an even brighter future for our State and our country.

Thank you.