New Australian citizen thrilled to call city home

Punam Basyal, 33, who moved to Australia from Nepal with her husband Sachin Bhandari in 2017, is expecting the couple's first child.

Ms Basyal was elated to officially become a citizen of the country the two love and now call home.

The couple had been living in Sydney when they decided to move to a smaller city.

"A few of my friends were in Portland and we heard about Warrnambool and how beautiful it is," Ms Basyal said. She secured a job as a nurse at South West Healthcare's Warrnambool Base Hospital.

"It's such a beautiful place," she said. "Everyone is so friendly and so respectful."

Ms Basyal said it meant a lot to her to be inducted as a citizen on Australia Day.

"I really didn't want to miss today because it's Australia Day as well," she said.

"Since I've been in Australia my main aim has been to become an Australian citizen.

"I really like the country and how friendly everyone is.

"It's a safe country and there are so many more opportunities here for us."

Mr Bhandari said his wife had been incredibly excited about Thursday's ceremony.

Member for Wannon Dan Tehan addressed the citizenship ceremony, where residents from Nepal, the Philippines, Brazil, Sweden, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the UK, Malaysia, Pakistan, Italy, Iran and Taiwan officially became citizens.

He spoke about the generous Aussie spirit, saying he had been for a swim in the Hamilton pool earlier - a pool which was built mainly by volunteers.

Mr Tehan said he had recently talked with someone who had moved to Australia from India.

"He told me he thinks Australia is the most warm, friendly, welcoming place on the planet and I think that sums up our country nicely."

Mr Tehan encouraged the new residents to become involved with the community they call home.

"Our country now is built on immigrants - 50 per cent of Australians were either born overseas or who have a parent who was born overseas," he said.

"Our nation has become a rich tapestry over time.

"We have a complex past, but all of us I think recognise and acknowledge that we have an extraordinarily bright future if all of us continue to come together and fight for those common causes, make sure we continue to volunteer and defend those liberties, those freedoms we have.

"If we do that we will continue to live in the greatest country on earth."

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