Mackay Citizenship ceremony: 100 residents take oath on Australia Day

Before taking her citizenship oath on Australia Day, Lydia Labestida spoke proudly about her new home. For one of the country’s newest citizens, ‘it is just like a paradise’. Read why.

Lydia Labestida spoke proudly of her adopted home just moments before taking the Australian citizenship oath at the MECC.

“For me, it is just like a paradise” she said.

“Especially here in Mackay. I love it.

“Everything I like. People, environment, food. Everything.”

Originally from Cebu in the Philippines, Lydia arrived in Australia in 2010 and worked for 11 years as a housekeeper in Coppabella.

Speaking freely in an elegant blue dress, she said the contrast between life in the Philippines – a developing nation of 110 million people – and life in Australia was stark.

Here, she said, she could live a “stress-free” life.

“We have plenty of ocean, the beaches that we can go anywhere,” she said.

“Free, not like in our place (where) we need to pay everything, but here it’s free. So we live stress free.”

Lydia took the oath alongside her husband Renado, who had arrived in Australia in 2007.

Renado encouraged Lydia to join him.

“I told her, ‘come to Australia’ because it’s a nice place,” he said.

Trained as a diesel fitter in the Philippines, Australia’s skills shortage offered Renado a pathway into the mines.

“It was the time Australia was screaming for diesel fitters, mechanics, because of the skills shortage,” he said.

Renado now has his own workshop in Mackay and said the thing he loved most about his adopted home was the “fresh air.”

Lydia and Renado’s children also live in Australia and Lydia no longer works as a housekeeper.

Now, she takes care of her two grandchildren.

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson welcomes Australia's newest citizens at the MECC on January 26, 2022. Picture: Duncan Evans

Lydia and Renado took the oath alongside some 100 others from countries as diverse as Spain and Bangladesh.

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson led the ceremony and said welcoming new Australians into the fold was his favourite part of the job.

“This is a very very special occasion,” Mr Williamson said.

“I place a great deal of importance on these citizenship ceremonies.

“It’s about the best thing I do as a mayor.”