‘NZ is now my country’

Monique Elleboode, who has been a personal assistant to four Dunedin mayors, became a New Zealand citizen yesterday.

Ms Elleboode was born in Vietnam, later educated in France and travels on a United States passport.

After moving to New Zealand in 1986 and living in Queenstown for 10 years, she moved to Dunedin and has served as personal assistant to Dunedin mayors Sukhi Turner, Peter Chin, Dave Cull and Aaron Hawkins.

Ms Elleboode spoke in te reo Maori during her citizenship affirmation yesterday at the Dunedin Municipal Chambers and felt ‘‘very strongly’’ that Maori was one of New Zealand’s languages and ‘‘wanted to honour that’’.

‘‘It means that New Zealand is now my country.’’

Her council position ‘‘has been a privilege for me’’.

‘‘I’ve loved my job and I’ve loved all the mayors,’’ she said.