76 years of belonging: reflections on Australian citizenship
Being Australian is not just about a passport or a certificate; it is about feeling at home contributing to community, embracing the shared values that binds us together.
This year, on 17 September, we celebrate Australian Citizenship Day, a day that marks over 76 years since the first Australian Citizenship Act came into effect in 1949. For more than seven decades, this day has offered an opportunity to reflect on what it means to belong, to embrace diversity and to commit to a future that is shared by all who call Australia home.
Australian Citizenship Day is more than a ceremony, it is a moment to acknowledge the journey that brings people here. Many have arrived seeking safety, freedom or opportunity while others have come to live here through generations of family connections. Each story is unique, yet they converge in one powerful truth - the choice to become Australian is both a privilege and a responsibility.
One such story is that of Deng Adut, an Australian lawyer and refugee advocate originally from South Sudan. Born in 1984, Deng was conscripted as a child soldier during the Second Sudanese Civil War. After enduring unimaginable hardships, he was smuggled out of Sudan and spent 18 months in a refugee camp in Kenya. In 1998, at the age of 14, he arrived in Australia with his brother. Deng later earned a law degree from Western Sydney University and was named the 2017 New South Wales Australian of the Year. His journey exemplified the resilience and contributions of refugees to our society.
As we mark this 76th year of Australian citizenship, it is worth reflecting on our shared history - the generations who came before us, the Indigenous Australians whose connection to this land spans tens of thousands of years and the new Australians who continue to enrich the nation’s culture, economy and identity. Citizenship Day is a reminder that belonging is not static; it is lived through everyday participation.
On17 September, as we celebrate Australian Citizenship Day, let’s honour the stories, of all Australians. Let us remember that citizenship is more than a document, it is a commitment to uphold the values of fairness, respect and inclusivity that define Australia.
You can find out more about Australian Citizenship Day at: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/celebrating-citizenship/australian-citizenship-day
