‘Welcome home’: New Aussies sworn in across the country

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has praised unity across the country as he welcomed dozens of new citizens in the national Australia Day ceremony in Canberra.

Albanese kicked off one of more than 280 Australia Day citizenship ceremonies to be held across the country today, with 15,000 people set to be sworn in as new Australians.

Whilst promoting unity in his address, when asked about Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's absence from the Canberra event, Albanese said the ceremony "should be bipartisan".

"I think the national Australia Day event should be attended by both sides of the parliament," he said.

"It's one of the best events anyone could get invited to.

"Why wouldn't you participate in national events if you want to be a national leader?"

9News understands Dutton was celebrating Australia Day in his Queensland electorate of Dickson.

In a social media post, Dutton wished his supporters a happy Australia Day, stating Aussies have " every reason to be patriotic and proud".

"To be an Australian is to have won the lottery of life," Dutton wrote.

Albanese's presence at the Lake Burley Griffin event followed an earlier ceremony with Ngunnawal elders.

"Here we acknowledge the fullness and richness of our history, but what unites us as Australians is our common commitment," Albanese said.

"Whether we are a part of the oldest continuous living culture on earth or whether we are people who are becoming citizens today, we all share that vision, as Australians, of a fair country a country in which people can fulfill their opportunity make a better life for themselves and their families.

"It's inspiring to be able to reflect, but also to celebrate everything that we have created as a country."

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke took to X to share photos of his attendance at citizenship ceremonies across the country over the last week.

"We are becoming an even better country … love hearing new citizens make a pledge to Australia," Burke wrote.

"To everyone who is becoming an Australian citizen: Welcome Home!"

Around the country, Australians gathered in a mix of citizenship ceremonies, other celebrations, and protests to mark the national day.

Crowds gathered for dawn reflection at Sydney's Darling Harbour, where the sails of the Opera House were lit up in Indigenous artwork.

Citizenship ceremonies are also in full swing, welcoming the generation of new citizens across the country.

Barbecues in the city's west have already begun lighting up in Parramatta Park, where Sydneysiders took to for a breakfast and hot air balloon show, as well as live music and entertainment.

That's just one of many parties to be held across the country, including outside the Sydney Opera House and at Melbourne's Federation Square.

Yesterday, former AFL star and coach and current motor neurone disease campaigner Neale Daniher was named Australian of the Year for his work raising awareness of and funds for the fight against the disease.

Daniher was diagnosed with MND in 2013, and has since far outlived the expected lifespan for someone with the disease, as well as raising more than $100 million to find a cure.

"It doesn't discriminate. It robs you of your ability to move, speak, swallow, and eventually breathe," he said.

"But it did something else, too. It lit a fire within me. A determination to fight for those who are currently affected, and those who will face it after me. I chose to fight because if I didn't, how could I expect anyone else to?

While Australia Day is celebrated by many, January 26 is observed as a day of mourning for many First Nations people.

Major "Invasion Day" rallies kicked off in both Melbourne and Sydney today too.