I had a laugh this morning...

maybe the guy who sang loudly was setting an example for his children that it is ok to sing our anthem with pride and gusto instead of the usual embarassed mumbling that most "aussies" use. We always sing loudly at school events when it comes to the anthem and my hubby wasn't even born here, but i think he has a lot more national pride than some so called "true-blue" people.
 
Sheeh! I had to become a citizen a couple of years ago. British decendant, came here when I was 4 and never bothered previously. I didn't have to sit a test at all. Just some filling in of forms, then an awfully long wait, then go to the ceremony.

what was the need ?

I was 3 and I've nver bothered yet, is there I should be doing ?!
 
and what year England joined the European Union

that was actually a question I failed in the mock test you could take online

That is another one I wouldn't have got.

I have no problem with them having a test, but surely it should be about things that are common knowledge. I don't recall learning that at school and I am sure that most people born here wouldn't know it either.
 
I would hope that people would become a citizen out of respect.

I understand the indifference to becoming a citizen. I only bothered because I had to.

Don't get me wrong. I have always considered myself an Aussie. Coming here at age 4, this country is all I know and I do feel that it is my home. I just believe that if you immigrate here as a child that you should not have to formally apply to become a citizen . It was really only a formality to me especially since I have always had the same rights as someone who was born here.
 
I understand the indifference to becoming a citizen. I only bothered because I had to.

Don't get me wrong. I have always considered myself an Aussie. Coming here at age 4, this country is all I know and I do feel that it is my home. I just believe that if you immigrate here as a child that you should not have to formally apply to become a citizen . It was really only a formality to me especially since I have always had the same rights as someone who was born here.

Me too, after some badgering by husband, mind you. I came to Aus when I was 8. I only realised while backpacking that I considered myself an Aussie.

I know both verses as I was second up to sing the Anthem at Rosehill Races when I was at school.:p

Regards JO
 
Most adults don't know it because I think it only became our national anthem in the mid 80s. It was God Save the Queen when I was at school.

Showing your age :D :p




Mind you, I remember learning that verse at school, but still can only remember every second or third line.
 
I understand the indifference to becoming a citizen. I only bothered because I had to.

Don't get me wrong. I have always considered myself an Aussie. Coming here at age 4, this country is all I know and I do feel that it is my home. I just believe that if you immigrate here as a child that you should not have to formally apply to become a citizen . It was really only a formality to me especially since I have always had the same rights as someone who was born here.

completely agree - if you turn 18 in a country, you should be a citizen of said country.

minors can't be held responsible for their citizenship.
 
So you don't consider yourself to be an Australian? I'm not going to dignify that with a response

If people ask what nationality you are, what do you answer?

Sorry, just curious.

Take a chill pill both you and joanmc please.


My parents became citizens as soon as they were able to, and me, not yet being 4 yrs old, was included on my father's certificate.

I havent got my own certifcate that's all.

Reading skater's post, her situation sounded similar to mine, to me anyway.

I have an Australian passport, I am registered to vote etc, I am a citizen.

What nationality do you think I tell people I am "just out of curiosity"?

yes joan, the guy was showing it sok to sing the anthem with pride, dont be ashamed, dont you think its funny though, I mean as in haha not as in fishy, that he was so enthusiastic about it and patriotism that he he never bothered to learn the whole song, kinda like your description of them true blue ones I think ?
 
Take a chill pill both you and joanmc please.


My parents became citizens as soon as they were able to, and me, not yet being 4 yrs old, was included on my father's certificate.

I havent got my own certifcate that's all.

Reading skater's post, her situation sounded similar to mine, to me anyway.

I have an Australian passport, I am registered to vote etc, I am a citizen.

What nationality do you think I tell people I am "just out of curiosity"?

yes joan, the guy was showing it sok to sing the anthem with pride, dont be ashamed, dont you think its funny though, I mean as in haha not as in fishy, that he was so enthusiastic about it and patriotism that he he never bothered to learn the whole song, kinda like your description of them true blue ones I think ?

I'm sorry you took offence by my post. I meant no disrespect. As I said I was curious (I wasn't being sarcastic by the way).

Now I'm confused. So you get an Australian passport if you aren't a citizen and can vote? I didn't know that. So obviously if you have an Australian passport and vote you are a citizen (even though you don't have a certificate). Is that correct? I just assumed you had to have the certificate to be deemed an Australian and get a passport etc.
 
My parents became citizens as soon as they were able to, and me, not yet being 4 yrs old, was included on my father's certificate.

I havent got my own certifcate that's all.

Reading skater's post, her situation sounded similar to mine, to me anyway.

I have an Australian passport, I am registered to vote etc, I am a citizen.
 
was at our daughter's graduation tonight
sadly didn't get to laugh, as they didn't sing the second verse at all

now on another subject, some kids still can't read properly after grade 7, and that's aussie kids, not immigrants. something to be ashamed of.
 
Reading skater's post, her situation sounded similar to mine, to me anyway.

I have an Australian passport, I am registered to vote etc, I am a citizen.

Except that I was registered to vote, but had a British Passport. Now I have both British AND and Australian one.
 
now on another subject, some kids still can't read properly after grade 7, and that's aussie kids, not immigrants. something to be ashamed of.

Do you mean the education department should be ashamed?

You really have no idea. Some children have problems and just DON'T get it. It's not that nothing is being done.

7 years ago the teacher next door came to me in desperation about a child who wasn't learning. I tested him and recommended he be tested. He came out at low average IQ. His mother took him to speech therapists, coaching etc. He learned a few words. In Yr 1 he had 1 on 1 intervention for 1/2 hour a day. In year 2-6 he had intervention for 40 minutes a day in a group of 6-8. He has been to numerous places throughout his time at our school and has had a LOT of support and extra tuition. Every year the school applied for (and mostly got) funding for extra tuition. A teacher was even paid last year to tutor him for an hour twice a week after school.
This kid went to High School this year (with a support system in place). He still can't read properly but we did everything we could. He is not ESL (English as a Second Language) and speaks and comprehends spoken language well.

As a teacher we would love ALL kids to read well but they just don't. Everyone is different. I teach Kindergarten (or Yr1 in other states). I had 1 child this year come to school reading and a few knew 2-5 words). The state average reading level for end of Kindergarten is level 8. Now remember except 1 child, they all started at the same level.
I now have 6 kids reading above level 23. 12 between 12-16. 2 on level 8 and 2 on level 5.
Some kids teach themselves to read, others need a LOT of work.
 
Take a chill pill both you and joanmc please.


My parents became citizens as soon as they were able to, and me, not yet being 4 yrs old, was included on my father's certificate.

I havent got my own certifcate that's all.

Reading skater's post, her situation sounded similar to mine, to me anyway.

I have an Australian passport, I am registered to vote etc, I am a citizen.

What nationality do you think I tell people I am "just out of curiosity"?

yes joan, the guy was showing it sok to sing the anthem with pride, dont be ashamed, dont you think its funny though, I mean as in haha not as in fishy, that he was so enthusiastic about it and patriotism that he he never bothered to learn the whole song, kinda like your description of them true blue ones I think ?

jaycee that means you were made a citizen at 4 years old. Skater is different as she came here as a child but obviously her parents didn't choose citizenship (as Brits didn't have to) but as an adult she did to pursue her sporting interests. If you are a citizen as a child you don't get a certificate of your own unless you ask for one (which is NOT the same as applying for citizenship, it is just asking for a certificate) in the same way that birth certs aren't issued, but you can request one.

I just would hope that anyone who uses the advantages of living here (medicare etc) would make the commitment to being a citizen of this country. I believe in the political process and doing your duty and voting etc and nothing ticks me more than people who live here, don't vote and then whinge about how things are! that's my little soap box anyway!:D

Obviously if you vote you are already a citizen. so why say you haven't bothered?
 
jaycee that means you were made a citizen at 4 years old. Skater is different as she came here as a child but obviously her parents didn't choose citizenship (as Brits didn't have to)

Obviously if you vote you are already a citizen. so why say you haven't bothered?

Correct! My parents refused (and still do) to become a citizen as they don't like Australia, yet won't go back home, 'cause it's all gone downhill there.:rolleyes: I have had many arguments over this in years gone past, I don't understand, & yet my mother doesn't understand why I call Australia my home instead of Britain.:eek:

You are wrong, however, in saying that a citizen cannot vote. I was registered to vote from 18yrs and both my parents voted for as long as I remember. This might have changed now, but I beleive Brits were given the rights of citizenship, without becoming citizens.:confused:
 
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