The Mayor is responsible for conducting citizenship ceremonies for residents of the Waimate District on behalf of the Government. These ceremonies mark the final step in becoming a New Zealand citizen, following eligibility assessment under the NZ Citizenship Act 1977 and approval by the Minister of Internal Affairs.
Waimate District Council has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) to conduct the ceremonies. Held every few months, the ceremonies include new citizens taking an oath or affirmation of allegiance to the King. The Mayor delivers a welcome speech, followed by a video from the DIA featuring the Governor-General, Dame Cindy Kiro, and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Brooke van Velden. The National Anthem is also sung, often by a local school group.
Ceremonies take place at the Event Centre or the local marae, Te Runanga o Waihao. As the ceremonies are generally smaller than at bigger centres, new citizens are invited to share their stories about why they moved to New Zealand and chose Waimate. Many praise the district’s friendliness and beauty, with some being recent arrivals and others having lived in Waimate for years.
New Zealand citizenship grants the right to live, work, access government services, hold a passport, and participate in civic life, such as standing for office or serving on juries. Mayor Rowley said that as migrants integrate into the community, they enrich it by sharing their cultures and experiences, adding vibrancy and diversity.
Pictured after the most recent Citizenship Ceremony held at the Waimate Event Centre on 15 October are (from left) the Bucane family Maria, Jose, Louis, Hilda and Cesar from the Philippines, Mayor Craig Rowley, and Nuni and Guillermo from Argentina.
