CITIZENSHIP

Ms JODIE HARRISON (Charlestown)—On 26 January, it was my honour to attend a citizenship ceremony which welcomed forty new members of the Australian family. The traditional custodians of the land, the Awabakal people, were acknowledged at the outset of the ceremony, and I wish to offer my thanks to Maree Edwards for the acknowledgment. Outgoing Lake Mac Ambassador Award recipient Rhonda Finlay also spoke beautifully. Afterwards I caught up with and heard the stories of three of our newest citizens. I would like to offer particular congratulations those new citizens who will be calling the Charlestown Electorate home—Lhubum Thar and Tenzing Kunsang from Tibet, Oliver Gaywood from the UK, Renju Jacob from India, Cristelle Maurin from France, Fulgence Mbonimpa from Burundi, Zoya Plowman from the Russian Federation and Yael Sagi from Israel. Congratulations to all of our new citizens—our country is richer because of the wonderful cultures and history which we all bring.

A Community Recognition Notice is an opportunity for an MP to submit a short statement praising the work of an individual or group in the local community. If you have any ideas about people I can recognise with a Community Recognition Notice, please email and let me know!