Being a good Australian citizen, and citizen of Newcastle could be as simple as a kind gesture between neighbours. This was the advice Mark Hughes offered during his address at an Australia Day citizenship ceremony at City Hall on Saturday.
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"I challenge you all now as new Australian citizens to live for now," Mr Hughes said.
"Wake up tomorrow and make tomorrow a great day.
"You are now joining a very special community. Do some volunteer work. Help people. Put your neighbour's garbage bin back in the driveway for them. Do something nice."
Mr Hughes, who was recognised in 2018 as Newcastle's Citizen of the Year for his work to establish the Mark Hughes Foundation raising funds and awareness for brain cancer treatment and research, was part of the official party to witness members of Newcastle's international community take the pledge to become Australian citizens.
"You are in a wonderful community surrounded by lots of great people," he said.
"Doing what you are doing is such a wonderful thing and you are leaving a great legacy for your family."
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes conducted the ceremony, swearing in 149 new citizens.
"Some of you have lived here for many years and have decided to become citizens. Some of you have had an exceptionally long journey to this point. but you have come to live in, obviously, the best place in Australia - Newcastle," Cr Nelmes said.
2019 Citizen of the Year: Jill Emberson is “overwhelmed” to be named Newcastle’s Citizen of the Year
For John Sandy, who sat near the back of the hall on Saturday morning and was one of the last to receive his certificate of citizenship to roaring applause from the gallery, the road to Newcastle had been long, fraught with travails and deeply traumatic.
"I am truly grateful and hopeful," he said after taking the pledge. "I am proud to be a citizen and I am really grateful that I will be joining other fellow Australian citizens."
Mr Sandy arrived in Australia in 2011 where he was finally reunited with his wife after being separated for more than a decade.
Mr Sandy had become a refugee displaced by war in his home-country Sierra Leone in the early 1990s. He arrived in a refugee camp in Guinea where he was unable to continue his career as a teacher and where he had become separated from his wife, who had been transported to Australia.
At the peak of his struggle, Mr Sandy walked 23 days without provisions from the camp at Guinea in search of a stranger - another refugee on the Ivory Coast who, he had head, had access to a mobile phone.
After 12 years of separation, in which time Mr Sandy's application to become a refugee was rejected, the couple were finally reunited in Australia.
Mr Sandy is now completing an honours degree at the University of Newcastle and volunteers his time to support vulnerable people and families in the community.
"I work with families, newly arrived families and long-time resettled families in Newcastle," he said.
"I am so hopeful, more hopeful, to continue to contribute to this community."
The citizenship ceremony also honoured Newcastle’s 2019 Citizens of the Year.
Journalists and advocate Jill Emberson delivered an emotional thanks after she was honoured as Newcastle’s Citizen of the Year. Ms Emberson was recognised for her contribution to both journalism and ovarian cancer research advocacy work.
“I truly can't believe I am standing here today,” she said. “I will use this award to help people like me, women like me, other women who don't have a microphone as I do, who suffer in our region.”
University of Newcastle graduate Dr Bhavi Ravindran was named 2019 Newcastle Young Citizen of the Year. The 24-year-old John Hunter Hospital doctor was recognised for his outstanding contribution to the medical profession.
The Waratah Girls Choir concluded the ceremony performing the National Anthem after Cr Nelmes lead the hall in reciting the Australian Citizenship Affirmation.
The ceremony also included musical and indigenous dance performances by Grainery Church Choir members and Raymond Kelly of Burrgati Performers.
Australia Day 2019 in Newcastle and the Hunter
- What’s on across the Hunter Region for Australia Day 2019
- Dale Goldie awarded Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to Kearsley
- Professor Afaf Girgis named Member of the Order of Australia for service to medicine and medical education in cancer control and psycho-oncology
- Prue Viggers receives Australia Day honours for her services to Newcastle community and the local art scene
- Jim Psaros honoured for work to support Hunter's at-risk youth
