Mark's Blog: Australian

After all the hours spent filling in forms and undergoing tests, I overcame the final hurdle on Wednesday evening - attending my Citizenship Ceremony at Lane Cove Council.

Clockwise from bottom left: arriving at the Council Chambers; weird photo 'out bush' with the Council sign, with Dono, Anna and Amy; receiving my certificate from the Lane Cove Deputy Mayor; family photo; with my pressie from Anna, Matt, Amy, Laura, Dylan and Meg & Pete in the pub afterwards.

There were about 25 people becoming citizens at the ceremony, which was presided over by the Deputy Mayor (who gave apologies for the MP (and Federal Treasurer)), along with the Superintendent of North Shore Constabulary, the Chairman of the Rotary Club, the a minister representing the local churches, and some old bloke who talked about pavements and waste services. And a local wind band. And a Town Crier, obviously.

I had a front row seat and was feeling rather nervous about what I seemed to have got myself in to - but glancing up to the wall I was greeted by a familiar face - Queen Elizabeth II smiled reassuringly back at me.

There were some short speeches, consisting of a fascinating list of the many things Lane Cove Council does by the old bloke, a plug for the Anglican Church by the minister, a plug for the Rotary Club and a speech from the lovely policewoman which started very well - about how we are all contributing to this wonderful country - but ended up rambling awkwardly ("whether you came by plane or by boat.... I mean ship") and then - with appropriate self-deprication - that Australia is a bit of a crap country; having realised what she'd said, she then back-pedalled to say that what she meant was that Australians are just very laid-back, and that immigration is essential if anything's ever going to get done.

The Deputy Mayor read out a message from Peter Dutton, the Minister for ~~the Torture of Children in Australian Sponsored Off-Shore Concentration Camps~~ Immigration and Border Protection, which generously welcomed us all (even those who aren't Anglo-Saxon!), as well as issuing a call-to-arms for us new Australians to defend our nation against those other people who aren't Australian that we don't like. Which was interesting. But she did talk about Australia's pride in its diversity and how, whilst taking on Australian citizenship, it was only right that we remained proud of our heritage and that this remained an important part of our identity (emotional bit #1).

Then there was the Pledge:

From this time forward

I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people

whose democratic beliefs I share

whose rights and liberties I respect, and

whose laws I will uphold and obey.

All good with the pledge - very happy to sign up to that.

After we were individually called forward to receive our certificates, the ceremony ended with the first verse of Advance Australia Fair. I've never sung the anthem before, on principle (emotional bit #2), although seeing the old bloke,whose chances of making it through the ceremony I put at 50-50 at best, give a massive yawn halfway through being "girt by sea" nearly caused me to laugh uncontrollably.

All new citizens were given a native plant, grown by the Lane Cove Scouts. We took home a pink spider plant (whatever it is, it's almost certainly deadly). After the ceremony there were two options:

1. A light supper (sandwiches) provided by the local Uniting Church in the council offices

2. Beer and steak at the pub

Anything other than option 2 seemed, frankly, un-Australian.

Great to have some support from Dono, Anna and Amy, with Angelique and Matt coming along later for a drink in the pub. I will certainly be wearing my new Wallabies shirt and supporting them - except, of course, when they play England.