Couple Minh Toan Nguyen and Thi My Hanh Tran and their two-year-old daughter Tran Linh Chi Nguyen were three of nine people who became citizens at yesterday’s Warrnambool City Council Australia Day celebrations. 

Mr Nguyen said the couple moved to Australia from Vietnam four years ago on the advice of his sister. 

He said they fell in love with the country and decided they wanted to raise a family here. 

“We are very happy today,” he said. 

“I only had my sister here in Australia. She said I should come and study here. I studied in Melbourne and am now working at Logan’s Beach Spa and Fitness.” 

The couple, from Ho Chi Minh City, said they loved Australia and south-west Victoria. 

“Our daughter was born here and we want to have another child and raise him or her here,” Mr Nguyen said. 

“We knew we wanted to live here for a very long time so we decided to become citizens and make it official.

“We are really looking forward to being able to participate in everything Aussies do. We want to vote and have a say in the government and call ourselves Australians.”