Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code

Parliamentary sitting days
It is important and appropriate that elected representatives have the opportunity
to welcome new citizens as formal members of the Australian community.
Local Government councils should, therefore, ensure their ceremony schedule
allows for ample opportunity for elected representatives from all three tiers of
government to attend throughout the year.
In order to maximise the likelihood of acceptance of official invitations from elected
representatives of government, wherever possible, citizenship ceremonies should
not be scheduled on federal or state or territory parliamentary sitting days.
One exception is Australian Citizenship Day, which is celebrated on 17 September
each year. A timetable for federal parliamentary sittings can be obtained from the
Australian Parliament House website at www.aph.gov.au/house/info/sittings
Before scheduling citizenship ceremonies organisers should consult with their local
federal member of parliament and a senator from a different political party to that of
the federal member, to ascertain their availability.
Where a citizenship ceremony is scheduled on the same day as a local
government council meeting, the citizenship ceremony should take place prior to
the commencement of the meeting and be conducted with due ceremony and
importance.
Significant days in the Australian citizenship calendar
There are two significant days for Australian citizenship. These days are:
• Australia Day—26 January
• Australian Citizenship Day—17 September
Special event days are effective in delivering citizenship messages to the
community. Local governments and community organisations can play an
important role in marking these days for celebration and in raising the awareness
and significance of citizenship in the community.
12 Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code