News Alert |

The City of Ballarat will hold a Citizenship Ceremony for about 50 new residents at The Mining Exchange on Australia Day. 

New residents from countries, including India, the Philippines, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Serbia, the United States, Ireland, Germany, Sir Lanka, South Africa and Nepal, will make the pledge of commitment to Australia and become Australian citizens at the event. 

City of Ballarat Mayor Cr Samantha McIntosh and Ballarat 2019 Australia Day Ambassador Tony Murphy will present the Certificate of Australian Citizenship and a gift to each citizen to mark the occasion. The ceremony will then feature the singing of the national anthem, Advance Australia Fair. 

There are more citizenship ceremonies held on Australia Day than any other day. Figures from the National Australia Day Council show more than 16,000 people nation-wide become citizens on Australia Day each year. 

The City of Ballarat holds several Citizenship Ceremonies each year however the Australia Day citizenship ceremony forms an integral part of Ballarat’s Australia Day celebrations. 

Australian citizenship symbolises our unity as a nation and represents commitment to Australia and its people, the values we share and our common future. 

Citizenship ceremonies bring important rights and responsibilities for new residents, including the right to vote, stand for public office and to travel on an Australian passport.  

The City of Ballarat will conduct all events on and leading up to 26 January in line with the recommendations from Reconciliation Victoria to mark the day respectfully, to recognise the honoured place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in our nation’s history, to be sensitive to the feelings of Aboriginal people who may see the day as one of mourning, and to see the day as an opportunity to promote understanding, respect and reconciliation.