His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, conferred citizenship on 10 newcomers to Australia in a special ceremony at the National Archives of Australia today (9 July).

The date was chosen to mark the day on which Queen Victoria gave Assent to the Act that created the Australian Constitution in 1900.

To encourage people to reflect on and celebrate the meaning and importance of our Constitution, the National Archives has suggested an annual commemoration on 9 July.

‘We see it as an opportunity to celebrate the aspects of life that unite all Australians today, wherever their place of birth,’ said Ross Gibbs, Director-General of the National Archives of Australia.

‘It is particularly fitting that we have 10 new Australian citizens with us today. Being conferred as a citizen of Australia is special for all new citizens but this occasion will give them something additional to look back on.’

People from Argentina, Sudan, Burma, the United States, Nepal, England, the Russian Federation, Germany and Wales were invited to the special citizenship ceremony.

The National Achives of Australia also marked 9 July this year with a series of activities celebrating the Australian Constitution and giving Australians the opportunity to learn more about the documents that have shaped our lives for more than 100 years.

As well as the citizenship ceremony, presided over by the Governor-General, the day at the National Archives included a free public lecture by constitutional lawyer Professor John Williams from the University of Adelaide and a ‘creative conversation’ where constitutional experts and educators gathered to create the vision for an enduring celebration of Constitution Day in Australia.

‘Most Australians recognise their nation’s British heritage but might not realise that our Constitution drew on the very best ideas of older nations, with the American Constitution an important inspiration,’ said Mr Gibbs. ‘To acknowledge this link, the Ambassador of the United States of America was in attendance to present a copy of the American Constitution to the Governor-General.’

‘We would like to help all Australians recognise the part the Constitution plays in our lives today. Without that document and the law it founds, we would have no parliament, no government and no Australian courts. In fact we would have no Australia as we know it today,’ said Mr Gibbs.

For a link to the Australian Constitution: http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/general/constitution/