The shortlisting marks a key milestone in the project. The shortlisted proponents will be invited to participate in a Request for Proposal (RFP) stage, the next step in determining the final proposed location for SBS’s new world-class production facility in one of Australia’s most dynamic and diverse regions.
The EOI process attracted a range of high-quality submissions from across Western Sydney. Each was carefully assessed against SBS’s functional and strategic requirements, including the ability to support a state-of-the-art television, digital, and audio production facility, as well as strong alignment with SBS’s mission to reflect and serve diverse Australian communities.
SBS Chief Technology Officer Darren Farnham said: “We’re incredibly encouraged by the calibre of responses received and the shared vision for building a truly distinctive and impactful SBS presence in Western Sydney. This next stage brings us closer to creating a production hub that will amplify First Nations and multilingual voices, support new content partnerships, and foster the next generation of diverse media talent.”
SBS Western Sydney Project Director Simon Hayes said: “The shortlisted proposals represent exciting potential to deliver on our ambition for a vibrant, fully accessible, future-facing media hub. The RFP stage will allow us to further explore how each potential premises can support SBS’s specialised and highly technical operational needs and community impact objectives.”
SBS plans to select a preferred location in late 2025, subject to the outcomes of the RFP stage and various approval processes. This will support the submission of a detailed business case to the Australian Government later this year as part of the project funding consideration process.
The new SBS Production Hub will become a home for more distinctive SBS content - spanning news and current affairs, First Nations storytelling, multilingual programming, and community-led productions - while also creating local employment and education pathways.
More information on the SBS Western Sydney Production Hub project is available at: www.sbs.com.au/sbswesternsydney
