IMRAN Hussain can remember the exact moment he felt proud to live in Australia.
While catching the train one day, he ran afoul of a man yelling islamaphobic and racist slurs.
Mr Hussain said the response from fellow commuters proved he had made the right choice by migrating to Australia.
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READ NOW“Before I reacted, someone from the general public reacted first and asked them to stop,” he said.
“And that was encouraging, that was what my family and I hoped and were looking for and gave us the feeling we are in a nation where we are all one.
“We’re from different backgrounds, but we’re all one nation.”
On Friday, Mr Hussain and his family will officially receive their Australian citizenship at the City of Gosnells’ Australia Day celebrations after moving from Pakistan five years ago.
He said his family felt vindicated in their decision to come to Australia after some initial difficulty in settling.
“I decided to migrate to get further professional exposure and growth,” he said.
“I am a certified accountant of 17 years and completed my CPA here in Australia.
“When we got here, the downturn started and we were unlucky in the sense that was the year the economic downturn started.
“I had a really tough time settling into my professional career.”
Despite the initial struggles, Mr Hussain said his family loved living in Australia and the opportunities that came with it.
“There’s a lot of things we are loving, especially the beaches, the lush green grounds and the sports facilities and opportunities for kids,” he said.
“These are really things which are unmatchable.”
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