Parramatta: the Future Home of SBS

An Exciting Future Awaits at Parramatta

A thought leadership paper entitled Parramatta: the future home of SBS examines the broad benefits of a Parramatta-based headquarters and explores potential sites within the burgeoning city with availability in the medium and long-term.  

The paper, released as the first initiative in Council’s advocacy campaign to bring the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) corporation to Parramatta, was crafted in response to Labor’s election promise to investigate the feasibility of relocating the SBS to Western Sydney, first in 2019, and later as part of their 2022 campaign.   

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor, Donna Davis, provided the keynote address at the official launch of the paper on 23rd November to a crowd of industry and government representatives. 

A Commitment to a Future SBS in the West

The Government’s recent budget commitment of $1M over the next two years to complete the feasibility study has been widely supported by Western Sydney Councils, including the City of Parramatta and brings welcome attention to one of Australia’s most diverse and fast-growing areas.  

This is also supported by the SBS Corporate Plan 2022-23, which states the “SBS is actively participating in this study led by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts and will work constructively with the Department on the process” and maintains that its priority “…will remain accessing the talent, tools and technologies we need to continue fulfilling our Charter each and every day for the millions of Australians who rely on our services” (p. 13). 

Global Sydney's Geographical Centre, and so much more 

At the geographical centre of global Sydney and the gateway to Western Sydney is the rapidly growing city of Parramatta, undoubtedly the most desirable future home for Australia’s most diverse multilingual, multiplatform media organisation. Parramatta is a fascinating mosaic of ideas, culture, stories, and identities that offer a range of unparalleled opportunities for all. Drawing people from across the globe, Parramatta has a unique vitality and fascinating cultural montage.

A city of emerging talent, Parramatta is full of ambition, driving real economic growth, creating world-class centres of excellence in education, health, research, and innovation.

The Best of the West for SBS 

By locating in Parramatta, SBS will have access to all that the area has to offer and be near the communities it serves.  

• Parramatta is the undisputed gateway to Western Sydney and the strongest commercial centre in the region.  
• Locate in Parramatta to enhance the visibility of SBS as a platform for migrant and ethnic communities and position the talented SBS content-makers close to the communities they serve. 
• Access the tools and technologies for the production and provision of multilingual and multicultural media services to all Australians. 
• Parramatta is already the second-largest CBD in Australia, with an estimated 20 billion dollars of private and public investment is helping reshape the city.  
• As a growing CBD, there are opportunities for SBS to select existing or new locations and participate in the most significant urban and civic transformation in the country. 

Location Options  

Parramatta is at the centre of all the action; highly accessible, culturally diverse, and home to a growing pool of emerging talent. 

With considerable transformation occurring across the LGA, there’s ample opportunity for the SBS to locate in one of several urban renewal precincts that can accommodate a multi-purpose space for content creation and public use. Two such precincts, Civic Link and Parramatta North, have been considered and would embrace the SBS as part of their fabric.

1. Civic Link

The dynamic, urban nature of a Civic Link location presents high visibility broadcasting opportunities, benefits of co-location with the new ABC studios, access to major cultural institutions, a potential street-level multi-purpose space for content creation, and a purpose-built flagship headquarters.

2. Parramatta North

Parramatta North offers significant benefits for staff and strategic adjacencies to major cultural & community assets. This site will facilitate shopfront broadcasting and street-level integration of a public-use content creation space into either a purpose-built campus-style HQ or the Heritage Core cultural precinct.

Let’s keep in touch! 

If you’re interested in our campaign to secure the future home of the SBS, we’d love to hear from you.

For more information on Council’s proposal, or to provide support for the City to help demonstrate why SBS at Parramatta makes sense, please reach out directly to:

Michael Northey 
Project Team Lead - Advocacy 
mnorthey@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au