|LANDSALE resident Ngoc Do and two of his sons, Lucas (7) and Philip (5), will become citizens at the biggest Australia Day citizenship ceremony this weekend.
The trio will be among almost 800 people making a pledge at the City of Wanneroo’s ceremony on January 26 at Wanneroo Showground.
“We are very grateful – it’s more special on Australia Day to get citizenship,” Mr Do said.
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His wife Thi Linh Hoang became a citizen in October and their two youngest sons, Liam (2) and Ryan (1), are already citizens because they were born after the family became permanent residents.
Mr Do left Vietnam with his parents in 2002 when he was 18 and lived in New Zealand for seven years before moving to the UK, where he met Mrs Hoang.
The couple, who work as nail technicians in Mirrabooka, moved to Australia from New Zealand soon after Lucas was born and have lived in Landsdale for two-and-a-half years.
“We have found it’s a good place for family and to raise the kids,” Mr Do said.
He said they planned to live in Australia forever and decided to become citizens for their children.
“It’s very important to settle in the country,” he said.
“Our family are very proud to become part of Australia. After the ceremony, we will go home and invite some of our friends and have a barbecue at home to celebrate becoming Australian.”
About 2000 people are expected to attend the Wanneroo ceremony and about 800 people are expected at the City of Joondalup’s ceremony at Central Park, with more than 300 becoming citizens.