‘Being Australian is a privilege’: Liverpool, Blacktown, Fairfield councils answer January 26 call

Western Sydney councils are answering the call to stage citizenship ceremonies on January 26, with one mayor saying “Australia Day unites us in a celebration of who we are”.

Blacktown Mayor Brad Bunting, Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone and Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun have thrown their support behind Australia Day celebrations and ceremonies.

Exclusive: Peter Dutton’s pledge to ensure councils stage Australia Day citizenship ceremonies has strong support in Western Sydney, with one mayor saying they were important and symbolic community events.

The Opposition Leader last week said Australians should not be “ashamed” of the national day and vowed to ensure all councils staged citizenship ceremonies on January 26 if he wins the next federal election.

At Liverpool, in Sydney’s southwest, a formal welcoming of new Australians will ­already prioritised as part of this Sunday’s celebrations.

“It is very symbolic,” said Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun, whose Sierra Leonean-born father and Lebanese mother brought him to Australia from the US at the age of 10.

“I received my citizenship on Australia Day and it gave my decision additional significance.

“We know what a blessing it is to live here.

Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun is preparing a formal welcoming of new Australians on Australia Day. Picture: Amaani Siddeek

“Australia Day unites us in a celebration of who we are, what we have, the freedoms we enjoy and the promise of a bright, peaceful future.

“For many of our citizens who have come here to escape conflict and persecution, it is also a ‘thank you Australia’ party.

“Liverpool council’s Australia Day celebrations embrace our diverse cultural backgrounds and the local ­Indigenous community.”

In the city’s west, Blacktown is the largest local government area in NSW, the most populous with 430,000 residents and easily the most multicultural with 188 languages spoken. Its council’s celebrations on Sunday will include a citizenship ceremony for more than 500 new Australians.

It will open with a corroboree and end with a colloquial chant of “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie – Oi, Oi, Oi”.

Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone said being Australian was a privilege. Picture: Richard Dobson

“We’ve got a big multicultural community and they all love celebrating the best place to live in the world,” Mayor Brad Bunting said. “Some people come here because they choose to, others come here because they have to, but they all love being in this country.”

Mr Bunting has previously told The Daily Telegraph: “While there’s not universal support, we continue to talk to our First Nations people about how we celebrate and what we do. We get them involved in all the different parts of the day.”

Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone said Australia Day was an important day “to appreciate the country we live in, whether we were born here or came here from somewhere else, and to recognise and respect the past”.

“Being Australian is a privilege and we should always be proud to fly the Australian flag,” he added.

Fairfield Council has been providing residents with free flags, ahead of Australia Day celebrations that will include community awards.