Mayor Michael Britten and Member for Eden-Monaro Peter Hendy welcomed the new Australians, who can now enjoy the rights and privileges that come with being a citizen.

“I always enjoy presenting and welcoming the new citizens with certificates in front of their friends and family and helping them embark on a new journey in their lives,” Cr Britten said during the ceremony.

The Pledge of Commitment made at the ceremony was the final legal step in the eight’s journey to becoming citizens.

“Our country has been built on the combined contributions of our Indigenous people and those who came later from all over the world,” the Australian government’s Department of Immigration and Border Protection website said regarding citizenship.

“We celebrate this diversity and at the same time, strive for a unified and harmonious nation.”

The new citizens now have the right to vote in referendums and elections, seek election to parliament, apply for an Australian passport, and apply for work in the public service and military.

“As Australians we have so much to appreciate and enjoy, and I can think of no better place to start your life as an Australian citizen than in the Bega Valley Shire,” Cr Britten said.