100 citizens become Aussies by choice

MORE than 100 people became Australian citizens at a special ceremony held in Casey on Australia Day.
The City of Casey welcomed the area’s newest citizens from 29 countries at the ceremony at Cranbourne Community Theatre on Thursday 26 January.
City of Casey Mayor Sam Aziz said Australia Day was a special day for all Australians to acknowledge the love they have for the country and provided a chance for everyone to celebrate Australian citizenship as the bond which unites them, whether they are Australian by birth or by choice.
“It’s a particularly significant occasion for those Casey residents who became Australian citizens, as they pledged their commitment to Australia and its people and accepted the privileges and responsibilities of Australian citizenship,” he said.
“On the most popular day of the year to become an Australian citizen, our ceremony is one of some 365 across every state and territory on Australia Day, with about 13,700 people becoming citizens around the nation.”
The City of Casey welcomes more than 1000 new citizens each year in a number of ceremonies, with the Australia Day ceremony being the largest each year.