Tuesday, 6 February 2024

Australia Day

Trung LUU (Western Metropolitan) (14:09): I had the great honour of attending the citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day in Hobsons Bay and then at Moonee Valley City Council. I always leave these ceremonies feeling extremely optimistic about our country because I can personally meet our new fellow citizens and get to see firsthand the excitement that people feel at the chance to join our nation and sing the national anthem. There is emotion on their faces when the song I Am Australian is sung, with the words:

We are one, but we are many

And from all the lands on earth we come

…

I am, you are, we are Australian.

You feel the energy, the power in the room and the sense of belonging and togetherness at the opportunity to make Australia and Victoria their home.

I still remember the day that I became an Australian citizen with my parents in Box Hill. It was a great moment of pride and feeling of joy that a new country had opened its arms and welcomed us. I feel deeply appreciative throughout my life, and I have given back to Australia as much as I can. I have done my best to serve the country in many roles, and now in Parliament I carry out the duties of this role with a deep appreciation of Australia’s culture and political traditions – traditions that make it a safe country, a prosperous country and a place of integrity and mateship where people can reach out and help each other and have the same values. It is a shame that some councils reject the opportunity to hold citizenship ceremonies on this day, our national day. There is no better day to have them than Australia Day, and I look forward to doing the same next year.