Good news for our friends Down Under – Australia will be part of the Eurovision Song Contest until at least 2023. The country was invited to take part in the interval of the second Semi Final in 2014, before been invited to participate annually – but on an invitational basis. Today’s news will rule out the need for an invitation to participate and come’s on the back of the country’s first National Final.

Josh Martin, the SBS Commissioning Editor said:

“SBS has been the home of the Eurovision Song Contest in Australia for 35 years and we’re thrilled by this invitation to become a more permanent member of the Eurovision Song Contest family. We will continue to showcase Australia’s amazing talent and diversity to hundreds of millions of people across Europe and the world. It highlights the power of music to bring people together – even from polar opposite sides of the globe. Thank you Europe!”

Paul Clarke, the Director of Blink TV & Australian Head of Delegation said:

“This is a wonderful validation of what Australia has brought to Eurovision, and we say “Thank You Europe!” for their decision. It’s been 10 years since we first took a team to Eurovision, just Julia and Sam, myself and a cameraman. Since then SBS’s coverage has grown, and the Australian music artists and industry have completely risen to the exciting challenge. Australians have really fallen in love with the joy, and Eurovision has become part of the Australian entertainment calendar. Europe knows it can always expect great music and passion from Australia.”

Jon Ola Sand, the Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest said:

“We are delighted that Australia has become a more permanent member of the Eurovision Song Contest Family. The Australians have long been huge fans of the event with a great number of loyal viewers year on year and when they were invited to participate in the 60th anniversary edition of the Contest, we couldn’t have imagined quite how popular their artists would become. It was a natural progression for us to agree to their inclusion as a participant for the next five years as they bring so much to the table and we very much look forward to welcoming them to Tel Aviv to perform, alongside the 41 other exciting participants in what’s sure to be a fantastic celebration of music.”

Author: Richard Taylor

Source: SBS