Australian citizenship given to 16,209 people from 154 countries

Reflecting on the first day he arrived in Australia, Iranian man Dr Sina Jamali says that becoming an Australian citizen was "a dream come true"

Speaking to the ABC, after receiving his citizenship certificate, the engineering researcher from the University of Wollongong said the country had been incredibly welcoming since he arrived in 2011.

"Back on the first day when I arrived at Sydney airport there was a cab driver taking us from the airport, and at the time I thought I should try and pretend I had some sort of accent," he said.

"I said I was coming from the UK, but I'm from Iran and he said 'don't try and do another accent, be yourself, we like you as you are'.

"We love you no matter where you come from."

Dr Jamali said he believes the Australia Day citizenship ceremony represents a moment where he is accepted as a proud member of the community.

Australia Day 2016 marked the day when one of the largest number of people chose to pledge allegiance to Australia at some 400 citizenship ceremonies nationwide. The newest citizens join more than five million others who have chosen to become Australian citizens since the first ceremony in 1949.

In his Australia Day message, Immigration Minister Mr Peter Dutton said, “Today we gather to publicly and respectfully express our national pride, celebrate our shared values and recommit our determination to make Australia an even better place for future generations to come.

"Whether you are a citizen by birth or by pledge, today we are reminded by the numbers of those affirming their loyalty to Australia and its people, that we truly do live in the lucky country," Immigration Minister Mr Peter Dutton

THE NEWEST AUSTRALIANS:

An estimate 16,209 people, from 154 countries were conferred Australian citizenhip at 391 ceremonies.

NSW - 3387 people, at 98 ceremonies from 108 countries.

VIC - 3774 people, at 79 ceremonies from 113 countries.

QLD - 4312 people, at 76 ceremonies from 115 countries.

NT - 186 people, at 7 ceremonies from 39 countries.

WA - 3069 people, at 80 ceremonies from 109 countries.

SA - 1175 people, at 37 ceremonies from 74 countries.

TAS - 279 people, at 13 ceremonies from 53 countries.

ACT - 27 people, at less than 5 ceremonies from 13 countries.

Overseas - 12 people