compulsory reading

Blink and you will miss the Rottnest reference in this POST story from Saturday.

If Rotto Bloggo was in charge we would grill new citizens to make sure they absorbed all the fabulous details about the beautiful island.

THIRTEEN PEOPLE BECAME Australian citizens at the Cottelsoe Civic Centre this week.

One wore thongs during the Tuesday night ceremony, a family waved Australian flags and all were serenaded by the Men in Harmony Quartet.

“It's fantastic you have chosen to call Australia home,” mayor Kevin Morgan said.

“We are particularly honoured you have chosen to become citizens in the Town of Cottesloe.”

Mr Morgan said becoming an Australian citizen and being part of a democratic society brought responsibilities as well as privileges.

Thong-wearing Benedict Baron, 43, was born in Barnstaple in Devon and first came to WA when he was nine.

“I just love this country,” he said.

“The beauty of the place, the space – and it's a relaxed kind of society.”

Mr Baron was first brought to Australia by his father 34 years ago and stayed for three months.

“I always thought I'd live here one day – it took me a while,” he said.

Another new citizen was mother-of-two Thembinkosi Brooking, from Zimbabwe.

“It's a good place to raise kids,” she said.

“It's beautiful and the people are nice.”

Mr Baron said the main he missed was family and British newspapers like The Guardian.

Mrs Brooking said she most missed her family and isitshwala, a polenta-like food.

“You have it with stew – you can buy it here but it tasted different because in Zimbabwe it's cooked over a fire.”

The other new citizens were Michael Allsopp, Christopher Hill, Pamela Keenan, the Remke family (Stephan, Christiane and Ben) and the Eyers family (Anthony Edward, Finola Katherine, Aisling, Anthony Conrad and Finola Cara).

The new citizens received copies of Ruth Marchant James' history of Cottesloe, an uncirculated commemorative $1 coin from the Mint, a book on Perth, Fremantle and Rottnest and an Australian flag.

Afterwards they joined Mr Morgan and councillors Greg Boland and Davina Goldthorpe in snacks and drinks.