Premier praises State’s multiculturalism after WA hosts nation’s biggest Australia Day citizenship ceremony

WA hosted the biggest Australia Day citizenship ceremony in the country, with Premier Roger Cook saying the hundreds of new Australians proved the success of the State’s multiculturalism. The ceremony, held by the City of Joondalup, saw 305 people from about 40 countries across the world become citizens Friday. “This confirms Western Australia is one of the most multicultural States,” Mr Cook said. “This is representative of the Australian community — multicultural, welcoming people from overseas and thanking them for making a contribution to our community.” The Premier said the reasons people had for moving to WA were varied, with some moving for economic reasons, others for WA’s enviable lifestyle or to join an Australian partner and some escaping violence in their homeland. “But whatever the reason, we are so proud that they have selected Australia and Western Australia to be their home,” Mr Cook said. French backpacker Paul Contre met his now-wife Robynn, who is from South Africa, eight years ago. The couple fell in love with each other — and Australia — and were among the new citizens. “Today is an achievement,” Mr Contre said. “I landed eight years ago with a backpack and a bit of money in my pocket. “We built a family, we live here and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to my home country other than as a tourist.” The Contre’s five-year-old son Finn also became a citizen on Friday, while their three-year-old daughter Ivy was born in Australia. “Australia has been a land of opportunity for the two of us and now for all four of us,” Mr Contre said. Scottish parents Iain and Laura Winter — whose daughters Isla, 6, and Izzy, 5, were born in Australia — became citizens after 17 years in Australia. “We were really busy with life and put it off. But now we’ve got kids and if we want to travel it’s a lot easier being citizens,” Mr Winter said. Ms Winter said Australia had a better lifestyle, weather and a better housing market than Scotland. Family of five Amalina and Vishaal Devasar and their children Rayn ,10, Zayn, 8, and Shayn, 3, from Singapore have been in Australia for five years and said it was “excellent” to become citizens. “It’s a better lifestyle here and there are more opportunities,” Ms Devasar said. French Canadian family Sophie Lavoie and Sebastien Leboeuf, along with their children Edouard, 18, Emile, 15, and Elisabeth, 12, said it was “amazing and an honour” to be citizens. The family said Australia still “feels like home” with a similar culture to Canada and that they loved the lifestyle and the people. The ceremony — hosted by Channel 7 anchor Rick Ardon — also saw a number of local community heroes honoured, including brothers Harry and Tom Linehan who were jointly awarded the Young Community Citizen Award. Harry, 13, and his older brother Tom, 15, rescued a man off the coast of Sorrento beach. The man, who was fully clothed adding extra weight, had come off his kayak 150m offshore and the two boys made a beeline and pulled him back to safety.