We welcome our newest citizen

Mayor Lothar Siebert with Maningrida resident and new Australian citizen Voase Naivalu.

THE Mayor of West Arnhem, Lothar Siebert, has welcomed a former NT Rugby Union Player of the Year as an Australian citizen in a ceremony held in the Council Chambers.

Voase Naivalu arrived in Darwin from Fiji in 2009, leaving behind his very close family and friends. He lived in Darwin for three years, working for Baker Hughes, before moving to Maningrida where he now works at the local school. Here he built great relationships with school staff, students and community members.

Being from Fiji, Voase is a keen rugby player, and has represented many local rugby clubs in Darwin playing union, league and 7s. He has travelled to Queensland, Bali, Singapore and throughout the Top End playing his chosen sport. In 2010, 2011 and 2012, Voase won the Most Tries for the season, and in 2011 and 2012 he was named Northern Territory Rugby Union Player of the Year.

Although Voase has no family members living in the Northern Territory, he has the support and the love of the Fijian community, and of his partner Rachel Thorne and children.

We join them in congratulating Voase on his achievement in becoming an Australian Citizen in the ceremony on Wednesday 28 October. It is people like Voase - people like all of us - who make Australia the great nation it is today.