Statement - Member for Bradfield Paul Fletcher welcomes SBS remaining in Artarmon

Media reports today reveal that the Albanese Labor Government will not proceed with its stated policy of relocating SBS headquarters to Western Sydney.

Such a move was promised by Labor in the lead up to the 2022 election – but now Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has been forced to admit that this is yet another promise she is unable to deliver on. 

This policy was always based on a faulty premise – that somehow western Sydney is more multicultural than the North Shore.  Such a premise is outdated, wrong and offensive.

SBS is based in the North Shore suburb of Artarmon which now falls within the electorate of Bradfield.  According to the most recent census, 24.5 per cent of Bradfield residents report being of Chinese ancestry, and 17.6 per cent were born in China, India or Hong Kong.   There are significant communities in Bradfield from China, India, Korea, Nepal, Iran, Armenia and many other countries. 

So while it is undoubtedly true – and to be celebrated - that Western Sydney is highly diverse and comprises people from many different countries, religions, cultures and traditions, this is equally true of the North Shore where SBS is headquartered.

I welcome the decision that SBS will not be moving its headquarters – and regret that this unnecessary exercise in political duplicity from Labor has caused anxiety to SBS employees and offence to people with ancestry from many different nations who live on the North Shore.