January 26, 2016
A highlight of this year’s South Burnett Australia Day Awards ceremony at Proston was the welcome received by a new Australian citizen into the local community.
Before the presentation of region’s 2016 awards, Mayor Wayne Kratzmann conducted a Citizenship Ceremony in front of the capacity crowd that filled the Proston Community Hall.
The ceremony welcomed Beenaben Chatursinh Zala, wife of Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council CFO Zala Chatursinh, to the Australian community.
Beena swore the Oath Of Allegiance in front of the crowd, her husband and twin 17-month-old children Kunj and Krish:
From this time forward, I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people, whose democratic beliefs I share, whose rights and liberties I respect, and whose laws I will uphold and obey.
She was then pronounced the South Burnett’s latest citizen by Mayor Wayne Kratzmann and handed her Citizenship Certificate.
Mayor Kratzmann said he thought Beena couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate time to become an Australian citizen than the eve of Australia Day, and congratulated her on her decision.
