Australia Day

Australia Day and the Affirmation

Australian citizenship ceremonies are an important part of Australia Day, with more people choosing to become Australian citizens on 26 January than any other day of the year. On Australia Day each year thousands of people in towns and cities across the nation make the pledge of commitment to Australia and become Australian citizens.

Australia Day gives all citizens, new or old, the opportunity to openly reflect on what it means to be an Australian citizen and celebrate the rights and the values we all share.

Sometimes it is not easy to find the right words to describe our pride and commitment to our great country. The Australian Citizenship affirmation provides words that enable all of us to join together and publicly voice our pride, loyalty and commitment to Australia and its people.

The Affirmation on Australia Day gives all Australians the opportunity to join new citizens in affirming their loyalty to our nation and its people.  It’s a way for all Australia citizens to come together and celebrate all the good things we share in a formal way on our national day.

The words of the Affirmation are based on the pledge made by new Australian citizens and are:

As an Australian citizen,
* I affirm my loyalty to Australia and its people,
Whose democratic beliefs I share,
Whose rights and liberties I respect,
And whose laws I uphold and obey.

* Non-Australian citizens can join in the Affirmation at this line

These words express the values that Australians share and that make our country the fantastic place it is today. Reciting the Australian Citizenship Affirmation on Australia Day articulates our common commitment to our country, no matter what our personal reasons are for being a proud Australian.