I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging.

Your Excellency, distinguished guests.

My fellow Australians.

What a wonderful phrase that is.

It gives me particular pleasure to direct it to those of who have taken your seats as citizens of India, New Zealand, Türkiye, the United States, Nigeria, Malaysia, Nepal, and the United Kingdom but will leave here as our fellow Australians.

It is such an honour for me as Prime Minister to be able to personally welcome you to the Australian family – and to be with you on this significant and joyous occasion.

Today is a day that will stay with you forever.

A profound and personal commitment to our nation – on our national day.

A day when we celebrate everything that brings us together as Australians – and everything that sets us apart from the world.

We are a small population on an immense landmass.

A former collection of colonies who freely and peacefully put aside their differences and chose to come together 125 years ago.

And out of that powerful instinct to unify emerged the Commonwealth of Australia – still a relatively young member of the family of nations, yet one of the world’s oldest and strongest democracies.

A country that has been enriched by people from every background and every faith from across the globe, all enjoying the privilege of sharing this continent with the oldest continuous culture on earth.

It is a proud story, a story we continue to write.

And today, it is a story into which you are so emphatically writing yourselves.

Where we are gathered today is not far from Albert Hall, the scene of the very first Australian citizenship ceremony on the 3rd of February 1949.

Seven people – one representing each State and the ACT – from seven nations, became citizens.

And they were welcomed into the Australian family by the Prime Minister of the day, Ben Chifley. As he said to them:

You have come to a country in which great opportunities will present themselves.

You have come to a country where democracy is not just a platitude but something which is practised.

While so much has changed in Australia in the nearly eight decades since, the truth of Prime Minister Chifley’s words has not.

Today, at more than 325 ceremonies across the nation, nearly 19,000 people from more than 150 countries have been invited to become citizens.

Whether we are Australian by birth or by choice, we all share the opportunity, the privilege and the responsibility of being part of something extraordinary.

A nation built with hope and hard work, aspiration and determination.

A society guided by freedom and fairness, compassion and courage.

A democracy where every citizen is equal.

A country united and liberated by the Australian covenant.

A commitment every citizen makes to our nation – and a promise our people make to each other – to leave behind the burden of old prejudices and hatreds.

Because at the heart of the pledge you make today, to our laws, our values and our people is the respect for our common humanity that defines modern Australia.

Thank you to all of you who have made the choice to embrace that today.

Welcome home.