TRANSCRIPT
In this bulletin;
- Tens of thousands of people take the Australian citizenship oath;
- Olympian athletes join the Order of Australia Honours list;
- And in tennis, excitement builds ahead of the men's finals at the Australian Open.
Ceremonies are taking place nationwide with more than 20,000 people from 150 countries taking the oath of citizenship.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has attended a ceremony in Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country, Canberra, where he received a general salute from the Australian Federation Guard.
In Naarm, Melbourne, a few hundred people have gathered at the Town Hall, where a choir welcomed attendees with a rendition of Waltzing Matilda.
Meanwhile in Boorloo [[BOOR-loo]], Perth, Balwand Singh Dhillon is taking the citizenship oath after coming to Australia from India in 2015.
He tells SBS receiving citizenship has been a long but worthwhile process.
"No matter what I did there was a reward for it, it's a really good feeling. I can't really put much words into it, like how I feel. It's a special moment."
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Tens of thousands are attending Invasion Day events, which have commenced in major capital cities and regional centres.
Organisers say January 26, the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, is not a day to celebrate.
Victoria Police say they have done "extensive planning" for Australia Day community events and rallies, while New South Wales Police say they plan to use what they describe as "proactive policing strategies" to ensure minimal impact on the community.
Uncle Barry Tenor is from the Bidjara and Kamilaroi mob.
He's attending the Invasion Day rally in Meanjin, Brisbane and tells NITV he's been marching since the 1970s.
"A lot of people see January 26th as Australia Day. I see it as an invasion day, and the thing is that to me, the 26th of January is the last day of our happiness and the first day of our sorrows."
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A number of Olympian athletes have been inducted into the 2025 Order of Australia Honours list.
Famed motivator and swimming coach Laurie Lawrence has been elevated to an Officer of the Order of Australia.
Meanwhile, 15 other athletes have been acknowledged with Medals of the Order of Australia, including canoeist Noemie Fox.
Fox won gold in the first women's kayak cross canoe slalom event at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
She's joined by Shayna Jack, Conor Leahy and others recognised for their services to sport as gold medallists at the Paris Olympics.
—
Several free concerts are being held across the country for those celebrating Australia Day this January 26th.
At Warrang, Sydney Harbour, music lovers are enjoying a live concert set against the backdrop of the Opera House.
One man attending the festivities says he's proud to celebrate Australia today.
"This is the hub of Australia right here. We've got everything. We travel all over the world, and you don't find anything like this on the waterfront, the restaurants and the activities and the beautiful sceneries. It's great."
—
Excitement is building in Melbourne ahead of the men's singles final at the Australian Open.
For the first time since 2019, the top two seeds are set to face off at the first grand slam of the year.
Jannik Sinner, the German-speaking Italian from near the Austrian border, will face off against Germany's own Alexander Zverev.
A win would cement Sinner's spot as the best player in the world.
In the crowd, Jeff and his daughter Alexis, tell SBS they're expecting a close match after watching the women's finals.
"Sinner has done nothing wrong to suggest he can’t do a repeat of last year but like today it’s good sometimes to see somebody win it for the first time."
