Parramatta Lord Mayor Martin Zaiter has slammed the Federal Government after it flushed plans to build an SBS production hub in western Sydney.
City of Parramatta Council had been advocating for the hub, which was promised as an alternative to a full relocation of the broadcaster’s studios, to be located in the Parramatta area.
“This is a shameful decision and a clear insult to the people of western Sydney,” Zaiter said.
“The Federal Government committed to fund an SBS production hub in the west, and now appears to be backing away from that promise. Western Sydney has once again been left behind.”
Zaiter said western Sydney is home to some of the most culturally and linguistically diverse communities in the country and is exactly where Australia’s multilingual public broadcaster should be investing.
“Parramatta is already proving itself as western Sydney’s media and cultural capital,” Zaiter said.
“We are home to people from 117 nationalities, with more than half our population born overseas.
“We host the ABC’s flagship television news broadcast and major newsrooms like the Sydney Morning Herald are already embedded in our CBD.
“That’s exactly why Parramatta was a natural fit for an SBS production hub – and why walking away from this commitment makes no sense.
“Failing to deliver this production hub sends the wrong message to millions of people who deserve to see their stories told and their voices heard.”
It is understood financial issues are behind the decision to dump the planned production hub.
It is a Government decision and not that of SBS itself, which had supported further moves into western Sydney.
The decision has been met with anger by a number of advocacy groups.
Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue Chairman Christopher Brown said it was an “insult”.
“Coupled with a recent decision to prioritise the city over the West in the High Speed Rail route, the region is becoming disillusioned with Canberra’s attitude toward the region that delivered Labor so many seats,” he said.
“While we are broken-hearted by the ministerial decision, we won’t cop crocodile tears from the SBS Board and executive who have opposed any move to the west for years.
“SBS should stop the false disappointment, use its own money to rent some space in Bankstown or Liverpool for now. The new South West Metro will deliver staff door-to-door between the Artarmon head office and a regional studio while we campaign in the lead-up to the 2028 election for the money to complete the job.”
The Dialogue has also called for the SBS business case to be made public so rejected communities and the local councils who tabled their own bids to host SBS can better understand this decision.
“This crusade isn’t over yet,” Brown said.
“We need to have SBS based in Western Sydney and will keep fighting for that.”
Troy Dodds is Parra News' Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia’s leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.