Yesterday was Australia Day, the 26th January. This is a day that holds a lot of complexity, and it is important to acknowledge that for indigenous Australians this day symbolises the irrevocable and deeply traumatic changes to the way of life of the original inhabitants and owners of this land - in a local sense that is the Kaurna people of the Adelaide plains.
However, at the same time it is a day which can hold a lot of joy.
I attended the NPSP Australia Day Ceremony, held in the beautiful Norwood Concert Hall. Guests included the Mayor of NPSP and most of the local elected members; the Member for Norwood Steven Marshall; the Member for Bragg Vicki Chapman; the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Member for Hartley, the Hon Grace Portolesi; and the Federal Minister for the Status of Women and Member for Adelaide the Hon Kate Ellis.
More importantly, many of the guests were friends and family of people choosing this day to become Australian Citizens.
48 people took part in the Australian citizenship ceremony, taking the Australian Citizenship Pledge .
I have spent some years living in a country where I was not a citizen, so I can really appreciate the value, both practical and spiritual, of being a citizen in the country where one has chosen to make one's life.
All those in attendance had the opportunity to reflect on the values of Australia, both in terms of the recent floods, and some inspiring stories of migrant Australians finding success in their chosen home.
The connecting power of arts and culture was shown by the wonderful musical performances of the Australian Girls Choir and the African Burundi Drummers, as well as the stories related to us by the special guest speakers.
Pat Rix was chosen as our Australia Day Ambassador, a program that has been sponsored by Woolworths for the last 21 years. Pat Rix is the founder and director of Tutti Ensemble, a group that uses the power of theatre and music to promote social inclusion and understanding for people with disability.
I am very happy to say that the NPSP Australia Day Citizen of the Year Award went to Beth Mylius, the driving force behind Sustainable Communities SA, for her tireless work in reconnecting local people to form networks that support people in their journey to live in a more sustainable manner, especially at the household and community level.
By giving this recognition to Beth and Sustainable Communities SA, the Norwood Payneham & St Peters Council has shown its willingness to support these kind of community initiatives, which bodes very well for our future!
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