Congratulations to the 17 people who chose to call Australia home today at the Clarence City Council chambers. Those of us fortunate to be born here understand what an honour it is to be a citizen of a prosperous, peaceful and democratic country like Australia.

I was pleased to congratulate in person Philiippine-born Australian Anna McDougall, the driving force behind Project Philippines Australia Inc, an initiative to help many people in her home country escape the poverty that she experienced as a child.