Actor becomes an Australian

Press, 23 February 1989, Page 11

Actor becomes an Australian

NZPA-AAP Melbourne What’s the world coming to? That bigoted Pom Alf Garnett turning his back on the Mother Country and becoming a fair dinkum Aussie?

Well, not quite, but Garnett’s alter ego — actor Warren Mitchell — promised "till death us do part” when he took out Australian citizenship recently in a simple ceremony in the western Melbourne suburb of Sunshine.

Since becoming a household name in the famous 8.8. C. series, Mitchell has spent so much time in Australia that he decided to take that final step. And to welcome him in his new role were Immigration Minister Robert Ray, Science, Customs and Small Business Minister, Barry Jones, and Chairman of Federal A.L.P. Caucus Immigra-

tion Committee, Andrew Theophanous. “It’s 20 years I’ve been coming here and having the best times of my life,” Mitchell said after swearing allegiance to Queen and country. "Actors are a bit impul-

sive, emotional creatures, and as nearly all my friends live in this country, and as I was eligible, I thought I’d do it and become an Australian citizen.”

Mitchell was one of 10 new citizens sworn in, in a ceremony marking the opening of the new immigration office, but he took his allegiance separately.

“Not because I’m a TV person but because I’m an atheist,” he said, Mitchell, who lapsed frequently into his Alf Garnett role, said the television character would regard his decision today as traitorous.

“It’s a very successful open prison out there in Australia,” said Mitchell in his Alf mode.

“But, we don’t want, you know, honest citizens moving out there. We can’t afford it.”

And as a republican he said he did not mind

swearing allegiance to the Queen.

“Bill Hayden did it," he said.

“I tell you what, I quite like the idea of the Queen and even her consort, and even her children. “I’m not too keen on the hangers-on, the chinless wonders we, as taxpayers in Australia, and Britain, have to support.

“There are a vast number of them and I don’t think they are entirely necessary.”

Mitchell said his wife, who is not yet eligible to become an Australian, was of the Garnett opinion.

“She regards it as my defection actually, a bit like Guy Burgess as far as she’s concerned, what I’m doing,” he said. “But I think she’ll probably follow me,” he added.