Media Release
19 September 2016
Saturday 17 September was 2016 Australian Citizenship Day. Australian citizenship is an important common bond for all Australians and lies at the heart of a united, cohesive and inclusive Australia.
Australian Citizenship Day is a day where everyone in the Australian community can reflect on and celebrate the meaning and importance of Australian citizenship and the role citizens of many culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds have played in shaping our nation. It is a day for all Australians, by birth or by choice, to celebrate the common values which underpin Australian citizenship including democracy, equality under law and respect for each other's beliefs. It is a day to celebrate the strength we gain from our diversity—those aspects of our way of life which unite us.
In the period since Australian Citizenship Day 2015, it has been an honour to preside over 15 citizenship ceremonies on Norfolk Island with 96 people receiving their Australian citizenship. Of these 96 new citizens, 29 were from New Zealand and 67 were from other countries.
This means almost 98% of people on Norfolk Island are Australian Citizens with many enjoying dual citizenship with places such as the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States. In this regard, Norfolk Island is very consistent with the Australian national statistics regarding citizenship.
If you would like to enquire about becoming an Australian citizen please contact Department of Immigration and Border Protection either via email at www.border.gov.au or through their office in Burnt Pine on telephone 22900.
The Hon Gary Hardgrave