Citizenship and Australia Day

Yesterday, here, Australia Day was a wonderful day, and I congratulate you, Madam Mayor, for officiating, or presiding over, your first ceremonies formally. You did a great job. Great speech, some really interesting personal insight as well. So thank you for the way you managed those through the day. I attended the first ceremony and then headed up to the barbecue at the arboretum, which I think was a good start for us. Certainly my interest is to acknowledge Australia Day and to put on something that's appropriate in recognising the day for the community, and yesterday was a good start, I think, for us to build on in future years.

In a time of unrest and conflict across the world, the ceremony here yesterday was a moment to come together, walk together, peace, unity, and just feel that community spirit butt up against the conflict and unrest. So it was a great day and a really good reminder. And thank you to the Rotary Club for putting on the barbecue. They do a mean sausage sizzle, and it was on full show yesterday up at the arboretum.

On Friday the 14th, I did attend one of the formal citizenship ceremonies. I wasn't ill, but I wasn't available for the rest of them. So I attended one with Mayor Kennett and Mary Doyle, and was able to officiate and administer the pledge of commitment, which is a high honour for anyone. So, Councillor Kennett, you'll look forward to those over the next year. And it was great to see Mary Doyle step in as well and carry out that role, and I know she said it was a highlight for her.

Wednesday the 17th of September, it was National Citizenship Day. In this very room, I think without the dividing wall, we had three significant ceremonies across the day. About 280 new Australian citizens across the three formal ceremonies here at the Civic Centre. Federal MP for Aston, Mary Doyle, Daniela De Martino, the state MP, Councillor Peter Lockwood, and the Assistant Federal Minister for Citizenship, Julian Hill, also attended one of the ceremonies, which, of course, is the final step for people becoming Australian citizens. As Deputy Mayor, it was an honour to administer the pledge of commitment at two of those ceremonies. And it was such a delight to see the smiling faces, as people and families have chosen Australia as their home and, more importantly for us, have chosen Knox as their home as well. They all have a remarkable story, and it was a real honour and highlight to be involved in that day a couple of weeks ago.

Thank you, Mayor. Just quickly, I think we've said it all regarding the success of the citizenship ceremonies in this room and the one adjacent on Australia Day. I think my highlight was probably Councillor Lockwood breaking into an Aussie chant, which had the room up and about. There was lots of energy and clapping and enthusiasm.

And just to recognise the work of so many of the Knox staff who put it together. It was a significant logistical exercise. There were many here very early, many here at the end of the day, double-checking, making sure everything was in order, and really making sure things ran as smoothly as they did. We had the incredible musician and vocalist Amanda Beer, who was a finalist from the 2024 Knox Factor talent competition. I think at one stage there wasn't a dry eye in the house with her incredible vocals. So I pass on my thanks for the work that went into that day, and congratulations to our newer citizens.

So certainly matters of, and conversations relating to, potholes and the unsightly and unsafe medians on arterial roads across Knox, and those matters coming to Council tonight in the form of notices of motion. Lots of conversations with residents seeking clarity around Council's intentions for Australia Day, and I see we've got a question from the public coming on that matter.