New citizens to call Swan Hill home

SWAN Hill Council welcomed 30 residents as new Australian citizens on the eve of Australia Day.

Ceremonies were held in Robinvale and Swan Hill on January 25.

Santhosh Gunasekaran, his wife, Francesca Gomez, and two children, Victoria and Alexandra, publicly stated their commitment to Australia.

The family moved to Australia from Singapore five years ago,

“It was a big difference for us because we came straight from Singapore to Swan Hill,” Mr Gunasekaran said.

“So it was a big difference from a city to the country, but we liked the change.

“We we don’t see ourselves going back to Singapore. One of our kids was born here as well, and we really like it … it’s a good place to raise a family.

“The biggest thing for us was really the people in this community.

“We have a very strong community feel here, and obviously the people here are a lot more welcoming and warm, the slower pace of life. Everything’s close by, you’re not stuck in traffic all the time.”

Mr Gunasekaran is a mechanical design engineer and Ms Gomez a secondary school teacher.

Mr Gunasekaran explained that Singapore didn’t permit dual citizenships.

“We obviously made the choice to renounce the Singapore citizenship and take up the Australian citizenship, which is a big deal because Singapore citizenship is quite renowned as well around the world.

“We have the Electronic Travel Authority between Singapore and Australia, which is a free visa which you apply for online.”I think you get like 30 days or 90 days travel.”

Mr Gunasekaran praised the organisers of the ceremony.

“We met a lot of people, a lot of our friends who we knew from here as well,” he said.

“We saw that they were also taking up the citizenship. Met a lot of new citizens there as well.”

Mayor Stuart King emphasised the significance of everyone’s journey to becoming an Australian citizen.

“Leading our citizenship ceremonies is one of the most rewarding aspects of being mayor,” he said.

“At each event, I am deeply honoured to hear the stories from our new residents about what it means to them and how life-changing this milestone can be.

“For one family recently, it means they can now travel overseas to visit a relative who is unwell, something that was previously a huge challenge due to difficulties in returning to Australia.

“These are the simple freedoms that we often take for granted.”

Cr King also acknowledged challenges faced by those on their path to being granted Australian citizenship.

“The administrative processes involved in becoming an Australian citizen are really quite complex,” he said.

“From meeting strict eligibility requirements to navigating lengthy waiting periods and passing the citizenship test, the journey is not easy.

“This is in addition to the significant challenges many faces in physically reaching our beautiful, lucky country in the first place.

“These ceremonies are a testament to the determination and resilience of our new citizens.

“The ceremony not only celebrated the journey of these 30 individuals to becoming citizens but also reaffirmed our commitment to embracing diversity and fostering inclusivity within our community.”

Cr King extended a heartfelt welcome to all the new citizens.

“I welcome our new citizens and sincerely thank them for choosing to call our municipality home,” he said.

“Citizenship ceremonies not only mark the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of these 30 individuals but also signify the enduring spirit of inclusive and belonging that defines our wonderful municipality.”