The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is undertaking a feasibility study to consider a move to Western Sydney and has been granted $1 million by the Albanese government to fund the study. The City of Parramatta is keen for SBS to join the many multi-national organisations and the ABC in Parramatta with Lord Mayor Donna Davis calling on the broadcaster to move its headquarters to Parramatta at a recent business event.

By locating in Parramatta, SBS will have access to all that the area has to offer and the communities it serves, as they continue to grow and evolve.
Speaking at the launch event, Helal Shmeissem, CEO, Film & Television Agency said “for us, it's been the land of opportunity and I see that it would be exactly the same thing for SBS, but it's more about who's here and why they're here. How this city is growing should be an overarching message, and it's the reason SBS should be here too,” he said.

At the same event, former Director of News at the ABC, Gaven Morris (now with Bastion) said he didn’t believe it was possible to tell the story of western Sydney without being part of the community.

“You can't tell a story of what's going on in our education sector, or our health sector, or the innovation sector, or the creative sector without taking it from a Western Sydney perspective.

“That's why I'm happy to support this idea that the cultural stories of Australia need to be told by the media being alongside the communities that are forming the cultures and where the stories are derived from,” said Morris.

Embracing global citizens

Parramatta is a place where global citizens live alongside each other making it an ideal location for a multicultural broadcaster like SBS.

Half of the population of Parramatta was born overseas, speaking over 140 languages between them. The population is young with a median age of 32.1 years old and well educated with more than two-thirds of the population with a post-school qualification.

The City of Parramatta is also growing. The population forecast for 2022 is 283,339 and is forecast to grow to 469,247 by 2041.

Gaven Morris believes that a broadcaster needs to be working within a community to really tell its story saying, “you can't talk about the texture of our community and the influence immigration has had on that without telling it from a genuinely western Sydney perspective.

“We want collaborations in these places between all of these sectors and Parramatta gives a great opportunity to do that in a way that is brilliant, and what you see in Parramatta now is a miracle….[it is] where the people's stories are formed and told, and has got to be in the centre of this conversation,” said Morris.

Ambitious & highly educated

With more than nine university campuses, colleges and graduate schools, the City has a strong culture of education, research and development.
Parramatta is home to five universities — Western Sydney University, University of Sydney, University of New England, Swinburne University of Technology and Charles Sturt University, and it’s set to grow when UNSW Sydney opens a local campus shortly. More than 25,000 university students are currently enrolled across the City’s campuses.

“We have all the elements to enable success. Parramatta also boasts the second-highest number of PhDs per capita in the Sydney area. And this means SBS will have direct access to a local talent pool through Parramatta's strong culture of education,” said Councillor Davis.

A city after dark

Parramatta is working towards a thriving 24-hour economy that aims to expand, preserve and cultivate the rich cultural and creative diversity that is unique to Western Sydney. With such a diverse community comes a vibrant cultural scene that attracts people from all over Sydney.

Parramatta is the second-largest night-time economy by turnover in Greater Sydney and third largest in NSW, valued in 2020 at approximately $1.03 billion.

The City of Parramatta was one of the event sponsors at the recent Boomtown Dinner and Summit held at Sydney Olympic Park and run by the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue (WSLD).

In its seventh year, this property and infrastructure summit for Greater Western Sydney brought together leaders and experts in government, development, construction, design, planning, transport, housing, services, energy and sustainability.

Industry leaders spoke about how Parramatta and Greater Western Sydney are experiencing a once-in-a-generation transformation and will continue to drive meteoric economic growth. Also discussed were the need for continued investment in transport links (from Parramatta Light Rail to Metro, and High-Speed rail links), the 6 cities plan, the importance of sustainability, and more.

Guest speakers included the Premier of NSW Dominic Perrottet, Lord Mayor Councillor Donna Davis, Christopher Brown, Sir David Higgins, Geoff Roberts AM, The Hon Natalie Ward MLC, and many more experts in the property & infrastructure space.

From this year’s Boomtown, there were many highlights for the City of Parramatta.

“Parramatta is undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation”

Lord Mayor, Councillor Donna Davis welcomed the attendees to the City of Parramatta and described the City as undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation.

“The City of Parramatta is the natural host for this summit. Parramatta is the destination of the now, and the future to live, work, study and visit. Our city is undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation, that is impacting every corner of our LGA. We are a connected city, vibrant and alive. One of the secrets to Parramatta’s success has been great transport links.

“We have invested in world-class public buildings, places and spaces. Take for example PHIVE, our new community, cultural and civic building right in the heart of our CBD. Add to that our new public artworks in Parramatta Square, the revitalisation of Parramatta Wharf, the Parramatta Aquatic Centre, plans for a Civic Link connecting Parramatta River to Parramatta Square with a tree-lined pedestrian boulevard, and the expansion of Riverside Theatres, the pre-eminent arts centre of Western Sydney,” said Councillor Davis.

“Surging local workforce is driving an economic boom”

The Premier of NSW, Dominic Perrottet spoke at the Boomtown 2022 Summit, saying that Western Sydney has big energy, big vision and big outcomes.

“A surging local workforce is driving a local economic boom. And now when you look at how far the City has come, the Powerhouse feels right at home. The point of all of this is not construction. It’s the quality of life that construction supports,” said Premier Perrottet.

Find out more about the Powerhouse Precinct in Parramatta.

High-speed rail can be part of Parramatta’s future

In his address about the potential of high-speed rail in Sydney, Sir David Higgins, Chair of Gatwick Airport spoke about high-speed rail being more viable for trips of around two hours, and that the capital cost of building is never recovered.

“High-speed rail never works financially to build. It always has to be built for a broader public commercial reasoning. It will never recover its capital costs. That’s just the grim reality. What you do hope is that it will cover its operating costs,” said Higgins.

In a Sydney Morning Herald article earlier this year, Parramatta was singled out as being a potential major hub for dedicated fast rail lines connecting Sydney to Newcastle, Wollongong and the state’s west as part of long-term plans to boost public transport links.

Geoff Roberts, the Chief Commissioner of the Greater Cities Commission said he looked forward to working with the Federal Government on the Gosford to the Central River City alignment saying that we need to make projects like this work for human beings as well as being engineeringly efficient.

The Metro is a game-changer for Sydney Olympic Park

As part of the panel discussing “Rail as an enabler of opportunity”, Dr Liz Develin, CEO of Sydney Olympic Park Authority (SOPA) described the Sydney Metro West as a game-changer for development activity in Sydney Olympic Park.

“Sydney Olympic Park is a relatively quiet place when there are not huge events on and all the master-planning that has been done over all the years has waited for the big transport infrastructure piece, and the development industry to get serious because they were waiting for the transport.

“We’re in our master-planning process for 2050 and the Metro is now here and there is a huge hole in the ground so people are now knocking on our door seriously, and I say it’s time to get cracking.

“We’ve got grand plans with the Metro coming and finally this place will be able to see its vision of both being an amazing events precinct, but somewhere people live,” she said.

Find out more about how the Metro West is connecting Parramatta to Sydney.

Is the 30-minute city concept still relevant?

Chief Commissioner of the Greater Cities Commission Geoff Roberts, said that his organisation is about to enter a period of strategic planning, and within that suggested that perhaps the 30-minute city concept may not be as relevant.

“We’re wondering if the 30-minute city concept is still relevant to everyone. Maybe we are now talking about the 180-minute week where people do long commutes two or three days a week, rather than squashing everyone into a five-day-a-week and saying let’s get on the train between 7.30 and 8.30 in the morning and do that five days a week.

“The evidence that we have is that more people are now happier to live further away from work. The hybridisation of work is here and therefore we are moving more to city regions because of congestion and liveability,” said Roberts.

Place-making not master-planning 

Western Sydney University’s Dr Roger Attwater who is Senior Manager, Environmental Sustainability, said that when managing its land assets, they are moving from the concept of master-planning to place-making. 

“In our own internal planning, we are moving away from master-planning to place-making which is principles-based and therefore more flexible given the uncertainties and the vagaries, and what you’re doing at what times. We’re trying to embed commercial operations and tenets within what we are doing,” he said.

Chris Brown, Chair of the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue (WSLD) said his organisation was also focusing on placemaking. In his organisation's White Paper outlining its 2023 NSW Election Priorities, it says there is an “emergence of the 15-minute local centre as a dominant strategic planning paradigm. Accordingly, place-making has taken on an elevated importance within our planning and transport agencies, complementing the work of local councils and developers.”

WSLD priorities are (among others):

• Deliver Parramatta Civic Link & Parramatta Light Rail active transport connections
• Acquire the Roxy Theatre and return it to public hands
• Provide funding for the completion of the Riverside Theatres Masterplan.

Parramatta Light Rail’s employment legacy

Natalie Ward, NSW Minister for Metropolitan Roads said the Parramatta Light Rail was due to be delivered next year.  

Find out more about the Parramatta Light Rail. 

Deputy Secretary, Infrastructure and Place, Transport for NSW, Camilla Drover as part of a panel looking beyond the megaprojects spoke about the legacy of skills training on large projects like the Parramatta Light Rail. 

“Regardless of the project size, there’s the skills legacy program and it mandates how many learning workers, how many local workers, how many women, etc. Big and small projects are complying with those requirements, so we’re getting those great outcomes.

“We’re seeing about 70 per cent of our workforces in Western Sydney coming from Western Sydney and that’s really important. We’re also seeing lots of learning workers, so Parramatta Light Rail, for example, 20 per cent of the workforce is under 25, that’s leaving that wonderful legacy of skills training and development,” she said.

Find out more about Parramatta’s talented employment sector.  

Western Sydney Airport’s education program

The CEO of Western Sydney Airport, Simon Hickey, which is due to open in 2026 spoke about his airport’s education program that includes a partnership with the Powerhouse Museum in Parramatta.

“We’ve got to get people interested now in the jobs and opportunities that are going to become available at the airport and in the surrounding infrastructure. We’ve got a skills program. We’ve directly gone and spoken to 8,500 kids in schools about the airport. We get kids in schools to come to the airport and take them to the experience centre we’ve built.

“We’ve signed a partnership called Generation STEM with CSIRO which is to get kids interested in STEM subjects and they are going to abound in our area. We’ve signed a partnership with the Powerhouse in Parramatta centred around education in STEM and using both their facilities and our facilities,” said Hickey.

Find out more about the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.

WestInvest $5 billion fund

The NSW Government’s WestInvest fund which was announced earlier this year was mentioned by many of the speakers. The Government describes the $5 billion WestInvest program as one that will help fund and deliver transformation projects that will enhance communities and help create jobs throughout Western Sydney.

Lord Mayor Councillor Donna Davis spoke of the revitalisation of the Central City Parkway underneath the M4 which will benefit from WestInvest funding, along with other projects for the Parramatta LGA.

The City of Parramatta was awarded the Boomtown! Project of the Year award for PHIVE, Parramatta’s new community, cultural, and civic hub located right in the heart of Parramatta’s CBD. 

A new and colourful NSW Government initiative will see Sydney join global cities London, Stockholm and Auckland in flying the purple flag for safety across night-time destinations.

Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Alister Henskens said a pilot of the internationally successful Purple Flag Program is underway in the Sydney CBD, Parramatta, Marrickville and Lakemba.

“The NSW Government’s Purple Flag Program will build on Sydney’s thriving 24-hour economy and provide the community with even more ways to enjoy a safe night out across Greater Sydney,” Mr Henskens said.

The program will assess destinations against a set of criteria to achieve a Purple Flag status including public transport access, adequate street lighting and entertainment.

24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said Purple Flag will become a recognisable tick of approval for going-out districts.

“We have so many great night-time districts in Sydney and Purple Flag will promote many of the fantastic things they offer,” Mr Rodrigues said.

“The pilot program is a key deliverable from our 24-Hour Economy strategy and will further enhance the revitalisation of Sydney’s nightlife.”

The pilot’s four locations are the YCK (York, Clarence and Kent) precinct in the Sydney CBD; Church Street in Parramatta; Haldon Street in Lakemba and Marrickville and Illawarra Road in Marrickville.

Read more about the Purple Flag initiative here.

The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) has been granted $1 million by the Albanese government to undertake a feasibility study to consider a move to Western Sydney. In a recent council meeting, Parramatta’s Lord Mayor Donna Davis called on SBS to move its headquarters from its current Artarmon home, into Sydney’s second city.

Lord Mayor Davis said that she believes Parramatta is an ideal location for SBS because it brings together a fascinating mosaic of ideas, culture, stories and identities that offer opportunities for all.

At a recent business event to launch Parramatta’s advocacy campaign, former Director of News at the ABC, Gaven Morris (now with Bastion) said that when he was at the ABC and they began speaking about moving “a good chunk of the ABC to Parramatta and into Western Sydney [it] was totally crucial in changing the way that Australia is reflected back to itself.

“To me, it's untenable these days. You can have any of the media really, but certainly, the national broadcasters located in small parts of our inner cities, increasingly a long way away from where the genuine contemporary culture of Australia is rising,” said Morris.

Parramatta’s growth is driven by many sectors, including arts and culture, education, technology and more.
 

The Generation of Ideas

For 60,000 years Parramatta has been a place of exchange, commerce and innovation, and will continue this role well into the future. As the oldest inland European settlement in Australia, built on the land of the Burramattagal people, a clan of the Dharug, Parramatta's heritage sites are an important part of Australia’s history. Here, stories from all corners of Australia have been told for generations and will continue to be told for generations to come.

SBS will have access to some of the nation’s best-emerging thinkers with five universities located in Parramatta. The education sector employs more than 11,500 people with over 25,000 university students enrolled across the campuses.

SBS will also be in good company in Parramatta, with more world-leading companies moving to this global business hub with a highly talented and educated workforce waiting on their doorstep. More than 30% of Australia’s top 500 companies have offices in Parramatta.  

Speaking at the launch event, Helal Shmeissem, CEO, Film & Television Agency said he believes that the people of Parramatta and Western Sydney are the unique selling point. “The talent, resources that are coming from further out west, we found….is much more vibrant and it's nicer to see people that have the skill, not so much on paper, but actually in people that come out from diverse regions that typically won't travel to town.”
 

A Rich Canvas of Storytelling

As the oldest inland European settlement, built on the land of the Burramattagal people, stories from all corners of Australia have been told for generations and will be passed down for generations to come.

“The Powerhouse Museum, the revitalisation of the Riverside theatres, the new Parramatta Artist Studios in Granville, and the renewal of the Parramatta North Heritage Area offers a rich canvas to storytelling about our past and future,” said Councillor Davis at the event.

Gaven Morris also believes that the media is focused on storytelling. “The most important thing is that we in Australia stop to tell the stories of contemporary Australia... The media organisations [need] to start to look at all of these great centres in Western Sydney and start to build these content ecosystems where those stories can be much more genuinely reflected back both to the people who live here, but much more importantly to the people who need to understand more about what contemporary Australia is.

“The problem is what ends up happening is the stories of Western Sydney become stories of crime and courts and disadvantage because the people that work for these media organisations don't understand suburban Australia and don't understand the broader cross-section of our community,” said Morris.

Access to Cultural Institutions

Part of Parramatta’s unmatched growth is the expansion of its cultural core, with the new Powerhouse Museum, revitalisation of the Riverside Theatres, and renewal of the Parramatta North Heritage area which will boost economic growth.

Parramatta’s new Museum of Arts and Applied Sciences (MAAS) will open on the river foreshore in 2024 as the new centre of arts, culture and innovation. The precinct includes the newly relocated museum and the revamped Riverside Theatres.

When complete, it will be the first NSW State Cultural Institution to be based in Western Sydney and is the largest cultural infrastructure project in NSW since the Sydney Opera House which took 14 years to build, opening in 1973.

To be known as MAAS, it will also be the largest museum in NSW at 30,000 square metres. More than half of the new museum will house the exhibitions and education programs, sharing more of the Powerhouse Collection than has ever been seen before. The state-of-the-art exhibition halls will host international travelling exhibitions, bringing the very best of the world to Parramatta.

Mark Wilsdon, Chief Operating Officer of the Powerhouse Museum said at the launch event that the new museum will bring energy to Parramatta. “I think the energy and the youth and the diversity that is here… I think that there's a true grounded feeling in the youth and in the excitement that's building here. And I think that's where the creativity is coming from, and we want to be close to that. And I think that would be beneficial as well for a broadcaster, especially of the SBS type.”

As well, Parramatta’s new PHIVE community, cultural and city hub and Civic Link will transform the way people connect, play and gather in the CBD, reimagining public space now and in the future.

Parramatta is a city of big thinkers, full of ambition, creating world-class centres of excellence in education, health, research and innovation. SBS would fit right in alongside this abundance of like-minded people.

The Albanese government has commissioned a feasibility study into whether SBS should move to western Sydney. In a recent council meeting, Parramatta’s Lord Mayor Donna Davis called on SBS to move its headquarters from its current Artarmon home, into Sydney’s second city.

Lord Mayor Davis cited Parramatta’s position as a growing city, and the geographical heart of Sydney with significant linguistic and cultural diversity, as to why the broadcaster should relocate to Parramatta.

The push comes after the ABC recently announced it would relocate 300 of its television, radio and news staff to Parramatta, from its Ultimo head office to 6-8 Parramatta Square by 2024.

Lord Mayor Davis said at a recent launch event, “Our position as the geographical centre of Greater Sydney means we are a connected city. We’re vibrant and we're alive.

“We're also a city of big thinkers full of ambition, creating world-class centres of excellence in education and innovation. Our cultural fabric also sets us apart. The essence of our city is its people,” Councillor Davis said.
 

Ideas, culture, stories and identify

For 60,000 years Parramatta has been a place of exchange, commerce and innovation, and will continue this role well into the future. It is built on ancient roots and draws people from across the globe, creating a unique mix of people. The City’s sports, dining, entertainment and cultural offerings add to the vibrancy. 

As the oldest inland European settlement in Australia, built on the land of the Burramattagal people, a clan of the Dharug, Parramatta's heritage sites are an important part of Australia’s history. Here, stories from all corners of Australia have been told for generations and will continue to be told for generations to come.

“Parramatta is a fascinating mosaic of ideas, culture, stories and identities that offer opportunities for all. Our unique history is one of migration from all corners of the globe. The waves of migration are reflected in our street names, landmarks, religious institutions and our ethos,” said Councillor Davis.
 

Culturally diverse and educated

Parramatta’s population is made up of emerging talent. The population is younger, more educated and more culturally and linguistically diverse than in other parts of NSW and Australia.  This potentially provides SBS with access to a diverse and educated talent pool.

“Today, our residents speak more than 140 languages. Around 56.7 per cent of households speak multiple languages. Our city boasts and embraces a diversity of cultural background, thought of ability, gender and religious belief,” said Councillor Davis.

The residents of Parramatta are highly educated with access to nine university campuses, colleges and graduate schools. Parramatta boasts the second highest number of PhDs per capita in the Sydney area, and nearby Westmead has the most women with postgraduate degrees in NSW. While 52 per cent of Parramatta’s residents attending university and vocational education are mature-age students.

“Having headquarters in Parramatta will open the door to greater Sydney's five million plus population, all of whom will be within 30 minutes travel time to our CBD by 2030. All roads and metro lines really do lead to Parramatta, and I challenge any other council to be able to say the same. Parramatta is the destination of the now and the future to live, to work, to study, and to visit.” - Lord Mayor Donna Davis

Parramatta is connected

Parramatta is connected to the rest of Australia via its transport links but also its diverse community, and business networks. If it locates in Parramatta, SBS will have easy access to move in and out of the area with ease, as well as close connections with residents, visitors and businesses.

“Having headquarters in Parramatta will open the door to greater Sydney's five million plus population, all of whom will be within 30 minutes travel time to our CBD by 2030. All roads and metro lines really do lead to Parramatta, and I challenge any other council to be able to say the same. Parramatta is the destination of the now and the future to live, to work, to study, and to visit,” said Councillor Davis.

The area is well connected with a range of public transport options, active transport alternatives, and an extensive road network. As part of its growth as an accessible place to work, the new light rail will open in 2023, and the Metro West is also under construction.

“With considerable transformation occurring across the LGA, there’s ample opportunity for SBS to locate in one of several urban renewal precincts, that can accommodate a multipurpose space for content creation and public use,” said Councillor Davis.

“Our city's cultural capital is already drawing the ABC and cultural industry leaders. They want to be here so they can be closer to a huge multicultural audience, the future leaders of the country. They can see what the potential is for this unique city. SBS holds a unique place in the Australian media landscape. It aims to inspire all Australians to explore, respect and celebrate a diverse world and contribute to an inclusive and cohesive society.

“The city of Parramatta has similar goals, making it an ideal future home for Australia's most diverse broadcaster. With so much going on, Parramatta is undoubtedly the most desirable future home for Australia's most diverse, multilingual, multi-platform media organisation,” concluded Councillor Davis. 

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