Mr Ruddock will attend citizenship ceremonies at Galston and Hyde Park in Sydney, and at the Australian Open Tennis Championships in Melbourne on Australia Day. Mr Ruddock said Australia Day 1999 has the distinction of marking the 50th Anniversary of Australian citizenship. It is not widely recognised that, although Australia will soon be celebrating the Centenary of its Federation, Australian citizenship is only 50 years old. A highlight of the nation's events will be a pilot affirmation 'ceremony' in Galston for people who are already Australian citizens. Relatives and friends of these citizens will be invited by the Minister to affirm their loyalty to Australia.
Australian citizenship involves both privileges and responsibilities.
The beneficiaries of this commitment are not just those acquiring citizenship, but the Australian community at large. The interest in taking out Australian citizenship continues to be high with the national Citizenship telephone service registering 258,000 calls in 1998. In 1997-98, some 112,000 people from 140 different countries became Australian citizens. Mr Ruddock will also attend a ceremony at Hyde Park for 50 new citizens. Among others, ceremonies will be held at Melbourne Town Hall, Dandenong Park, Rosebud on the Mornington Peninsula and the Frankston Football Ground.