Federal Member for Aston, Mr Alan Tudge MP, attended and spoke at a Citizenship Ceremony held on Remembrance Day, 11 November 2010, to celebrate with 118 Knox residents who pledged their commitment to Australia, to become Australian Citizens.
The Mayor, Cr Joe Cossari and Wurundjeri Elder, Doreen Garvey-Wandin, warmly welcomed the candidates and State Member for Eastern Metropolitan Region, Bruce Atkinson, and Federal Member for Aston, Alan Tudge, addressed the ceremony with congratulations to each new citizen.
Mr Tudge spoke of his parents as immigrants who arrived by boat just before he was born and referred to Austalia’s national anthem “where we rejoice that we are young and free.” He said, “It is on this day we remember them and that we welcome you. …That we are young, is an accident of history. That we are free is no accident. It is due to the sacrifices of Australians in the past and the commitment to openness and freedom of Australians in the present.”
Mr Tudge elaborated on some of the opportunities of being Australian. “You can aspire to anything, you are free to express your views, to worship as you like, to participate in elections and to change the government at the ballot box. You even have the right to barrack for your own football team, as long as it isn’t Collingwood!”Mr Tudge added with tongue in cheek.
