Eleven residents became Australian citizens in a ceremony conducted by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council deputy mayor Lisa Intemann on June 22.
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The deputy mayor welcomed the residents to the event and congratulated them on their decision to become Australians.
The new citizens have made the choice to reside in Australia after arriving from destinations all over the world including including India, the Philippines and the United Kingdom.
Cr Intemann addressed the residents and quoted the song I am Australian where ‘we are one, but we are many’ and ‘from all the lands on earth we come’.
She said the citizenship ceremony encompassed these values.
Each citizen made a pledge to respect the country’s rights and liberties, democratic beliefs and to obey and uphold laws.
They received their official certificates and a coin to commemorate the occasion.
New Australian citizen Cheryl Deist from Brighton in the United Kingdom has lived in Port Macquarie for four years.
Her daughter is an Australian citizen and she also has two Australian grandchildren.
Ms Deist said while she can now call herself an Australian she won’t be eating vegemite on toast for breakfast.
“I will stick to marmite,” she said.
Ms Deist said she loves the beaches in Port Macquarie, the sense of ‘peace’ and being out of the city.
“It’s just beautiful,” she said.