It was a case of better late than never for Freida Peterkin, who became an Australian citizen after five decades at last Thursday’s Australia Day ceremony at the Cardinia Cultural Centre.
Freida migrated from Scotland in 1963, and a little over a decade later married musician Geoff Peterkin of Pakart Productions fame. They have lived in Pakenham for 25 years.
The rumour that she waited all that time for a good looking mayor in Brett Owen to present the citizenship (which may have been started herself) is not correct.
“All the family are Aussies, so it’s logical that I am too,” she explained. “I was a permanent resident, so I already had all rights, including voting, so it wasn’t necessary to do it earlier.”
