Wairoa warmly welcomed its newest Kiwis at an official citizenship ceremony on Wednesday this week.

Mayor Craig Little presented former Australian citizen Concetta Theresa Yeoman and Cambodia native Uon “Jon” Malis Men with their certificates of New Zealand citizenship by completing the formal ceremony and welcoming them as New Zealand citizens. 

“On behalf of the Government and the people of New Zealand in general, and the citizens of Wairoa District in particular, I welcome you here today for the purpose of taking the Oath of Allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen, and completing the necessary formalities to make you a citizen of New Zealand,” Mr Little said in his speech.

“It takes great courage to leave the country of your birth and it takes even greater wisdom to call New Zealand and Wairoa your home.”

Mrs Yeoman hails from the north Sydney suburb of Crows Nest, 5km north of the central business district.

She moved to New Zealand in 2005 with her Kiwi husband and they subsequently moved to Wairoa over a year ago.

“I decided to become a citizen because my husband is a New Zealander and we got my son citizenship when he was born,” Mrs Yeoman said.

“We decided that this is where we want to live, and I thought, well, I don’t have those ties to Australia as much.

“Some of my family knew that I was going for New Zealand citizenship; I’ve been sort of quiet about it though, mainly because of the rugby.”

Mr Men said she felt warmly welcomed the first time he and his family moved to Wairoa. 

“I’m so grateful that my citizenship has been confirmed. I feel a greater sense of connection to Wairoa and to New Zealand now,” Mr Men said.

31 October 2018

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