Full story: What SBS told the Senate about Israel and Eurovision participation

Image: EBU

Guardian Australia reported this week that Australian broadcaster SBS has faced viewer backlash over its decision not to support calls for a boycott of Israel at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest.

The outlet noted that the issue was raised during Senate Estimates, where senators questioned SBS about the broadcaster’s position and the response from audiences.

SBS revealed they had received approximately 150 pieces of audience feedback since January.

The exchange took place at the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee on 8 October 2025, which oversees portfolios including communications, the arts, and media.

What are Senate Estimates?

Each year, Australia’s Senate holds Estimates hearings — public sessions where senators question government departments and agencies about how they spend public money and implement policy.

This particular session was part of the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, which oversees portfolios including communications, the arts, and media, along with environment and climate change.

Public broadcasters SBS and the ABC often appear to answer questions at these.

What was the hearing?

During the hearing, Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi questioned SBS Acting Managing Director Jane Palfreyman about the broadcaster’s handling of community concerns and its ongoing commitment to airing Eurovision.

Following Senator Faruqi's questions, another Greens politician, Senator David Shoebridge asked further questions. These were answered by Jane Palfreyman and SBS's Director of Corporate Affairs, Clare O’Neil.

The exchange offered rare on-the-record insight into how SBS is handling the situation.

Below is a summary and the full transcript of the discussion.

What happened in Senate Estimates

Senator Faruqi challenges SBS on Israel’s participation

Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi challenged SBS over its plan to broadcast the contest if Israel takes part.

She began by saying,

“Israel is also set to attend and will perform pop songs while the State of Israel bombs and buries Palestinian children under rubble.”

Faruqi noted that Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Ireland had all indicated they would withdraw, asking,

“If Israel participates… will you also withdraw, or will you provide cover for Israel?”

SBS’s initial response

SBS Acting Managing Director Jane Palfreyman replied that SBS will still participate.

“We intend to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest,” she said.

She told senators the broadcaster would not take a stance because “impartiality is a bedrock of who we are and our reason for being.”

She added,

“It’s not appropriate for us to form a view on this. It is a matter for the EBU. We’re aware they’re going to vote with members in November, and we’ll look forward to hearing the outcome of that.”

On ethics and impartiality

Faruqi pressed further, asking,

“How many Palestinians do you think, Ms Palfreyman, need to be killed and massacred by Israel before SBS considers Israel’s participation in Eurovision as unacceptable?”

Palfreyman said the current situation made impartiality even more important.

“Given these troubling times, it’s actually ever more important for us to be impartial and to not state a position for or against,” she said. “Our role as a public broadcaster is to provide coverage… that provides a balanced view, to inform Australians and give them all the facts and all the perspectives.”

Faruqi argued that broadcasting Eurovision while Israel participates “actively undermines SBS’s credibility as a public multicultural broadcaster.”

Palfreyman replied, “This isn’t a matter for us. It’s a matter for the EBU… we will consider how this issue evolves. We look forward to the outcome of the vote.”

On diversity and racism

When Faruqi asked, “SBS calls itself a broadcaster that represents Australia’s racial and cultural diversity. Does SBS not recognise that genocide is the ultimate expression of racism?”

Palfreyman responded, “Our role here is to provide Australians with factual reporting on this matter. Impartiality is core to our code of conduct… and it’s only becoming more important to deliver to that in a world of mis- and disinformation.”

She added, “We note these incredibly troubling times, and as such, we take our role of reporting these conflicts incredibly seriously.”

Further questioning by Senator Shoebridge

Senator David Shoebridge asked what editorial policy guided SBS’s decision.

Palfreyman referred to the SBS Code of Conduct, saying it governs impartiality in all coverage. She invited Clare O’Neil, SBS’s Head of Codes and Compliance, to explain further.

O’Neil told the committee that SBS had broadcast Eurovision for 40 years and that not airing it because of a nation’s actions would breach its duty to impartiality.

“The decision not to broadcast Eurovision due to the actions of a state… would contradict our requirement to be impartial. If we made that decision, we were forming a view about the actions of that nation state.”

Shoebridge pointed to a UN finding that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, saying,

“You don’t have to be neutral in the face of a genocide, do you?”

O’Neil replied, “I’m not suggesting we’re neutral in the face of a genocide, Senator. I’m suggesting that if we were to make an assertion about a country’s behaviour, that could suggest we were not approaching our coverage of that conflict impartially.”

She also clarified that the EBU process was ongoing.

“It’s actually not certain that Israel will be competing in Eurovision yet, because there will be a vote occurring in November with the EBU member states.”

Audience feedback and next steps

Shoebridge asked how many complaints SBS had received about its Eurovision stance and whether it had engaged with Palestinian communities.

Palfreyman said there were no formal Code complaints but around 150 pieces of audience feedback since January, “peaking in the latter half of September.”

“We regularly engage through many parts of our network… to understand and solicit the views of our communities to inform our position,” she said.

When asked specifically if SBS had contacted Palestinian representatives, Palfreyman said the broadcaster would take the question on notice and respond later.

Should SBS boycott Eurovision 2026 if Israel competes?

• Yes
• No
• Let's wait until after the November vote
• Unsure

Full transcript

(This has been provided by AI service Otter. The official Senate transcript will be available in due course.)

Senator Mehreen Faruqi:

"Australia is set to join countries on the international stage for the 2026 Eurovision. Israel is also set to attend and will perform pop songs while the State of Israel bombs and buries Palestinian children under rubble. Belgium, the Netherlands and Portugal, Slovenia and Ireland have all indicated their intention to withdraw from the next Eurovision in Vienna. If Israel participates, will Australia, because SBS is the broadcaster, will you also withdraw, or will you provide cover for Israel?s

Jane Palfreyman (SBS)

Senator, thanks again for the question. We intend to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. We are aware that these issues of deep concern, what I would say is Impartiality is a bedrock of who we are and our reason for being, and as such, it's not appropriate for us to form a view on this. It is a matter for the EBU. We're aware they're going to vote with members in November, and we'll look forward to hearing the outcome of that.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi:

How many Palestinians do you think Ms, Palfreyman need to be killed and massacred by Israel before SBS considered Israel's participation in Eurovision as unacceptable and withdrawals? This is not a matter of impartiality. This is a matter of morality and ethics.

Jane Palfreyman (SBS)

I think given these troubling times, it's actually ever more important for us to be impartial and to not state a position for or against in any of these really complicated. I think it's ever more important our role as a broadcaster and a public broadcaster is to provide coverage across our news and current affairs, impartial coverage that is accurate, that provides a balanced view, to inform Australians and give them all the facts and all the perspectives on these issues. As I said, the the issue of which countries partake in Eurovision is a matter for the EBU. They are conducting a vote, and we look forward to the outcome.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi:

SBS calls itself a broadcaster that represents Australia's racial and cultural diversity. Am I right? Does SBS not recognize that genocide is the ultimate expression of racism?

Jane Palfreyman (SBS)

Senator, again, our role here is to provide Australians with factual reporting on this matter. Impartiality is core to our code of conduct, which we are governed by, and it's only becoming more important to deliver to that in a world of MIS and disinformation, and that we take that very seriously. We note these really incredibly troubling times, and so as such, we take our role of reporting these conflicts incredibly seriously.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi:

Broadcasting Eurovision, where a state committing genocide is participating, is not about providing accurate coverage or information. I don't understand how SBS can justify platforming Israel in Eurovision while at the same time claiming to be an anti racist, multicultural institution. Do you understand this is not about reporting?

the

Jane Palfreyman (SBS)

I understand the question, Senator. What I'm saying is that issue is up for a vote that will go to vote in November, and we will soon know the outcome of that. My point about our coverage is to demonstrate that our role as a public broadcaster on this issue is to provide this impartial coverage as such, having a position for or against, whether a country should partake, is not a matter for us. It's not a matter for us to take a perspective here, but rather to allow Australians to form their view and provide them with the facts and coverage that is accurate, that is unbiased, and that is impartial as governed by our code,

Senator Mehreen Faruqi:

You could make a decision, though, not to broadcast it if their country does partake without asking for that country to withdraw, like is SBS prepared to acknowledge that broadcasting Israel in Eurovision actively undermines its credibility as a public multicultural broadcaster?

Jane Palfreyman (SBS)

Senator, this isn't a matter for us. It's a matter for the EBU. We are reporting on the issue in our news, this very issue about the EBU going to a vote. We understand. You know, these issues are deeply troubling for all Australians, and as such, we will consider how this issue evolves. We look forward to the outcome of the vote and our role on the reporting of these issues in the Middle East will continue to be carefully considered in line with our code.

Senator David Shoebridge

What is SBS's editorial policy, what's the part of the editorial policy you reference when you're deciding to either proceed with or not proceed with Eurovision?

Jane Palfreyman (SBS)

Sorry, Senator, can I clarify the question there the editorial policy in relation to the terms we're using to cover the Middle East, or

Senator David Shoebridge

Well, well, I mean, there have been, as you know, repeated and real concerns about Israel's international humanitarian law violations. In Gaza, a recent finding from the UN Commission of Inquiry that's engaged in genocide and a large public campaign to say, no, if Israel is participating, it's neither SBS nor any other broadcaster should broadcast Eurovision. What are the editorial what's the editorial policy to deal with concerns like that where you have widespread concerns in the community about covering.

Jane Palfreyman (SBS)

What I'm referring to is our Code of Conduct. I might encourage Clara Neil, who looks after our codes, to dive into the detail on this one.

Clare O’Neil (SBS)

Thanks, Senator. Look. SBS will always make a range of editorial decisions about what it chooses to broadcast and to not broadcast. We've been broadcasting Eurovision for 40 years. It's a very well loved event by our audiences, as Ms Palfreyman said, I think the decision to the decision not to broadcast Eurovision due to the actions of a state which we were all which we are also providing news and current affairs reporting on, I think would contradict our requirement to be impartial and to provide impartial coverage, because I think you could draw the conclusion that if we made that decision, we were forming a view about the actions of that nation state, which could then lead to a suggestion that we weren't providing accurate and balanced news and information.

Senator David Shoebridge

You could just be following the findings of the UN Commission of Inquiry, which, as recently as the middle of last month concluded that Israel was engaged in a genocide in Gaza. You don't have to be neutral in the face of a genocide. Ms O'Neil, do you?

Clare O’Neil (SBS)

I'm not suggesting we're neutral in the face of a genocide, Senator, I'm suggesting that if we were to make an assertion about a country's behavior that that could suggest that we were not approaching our coverage of that conflict impartially.

Senator David Shoebridge

Well, this isn't about coverage of the conflict. This is about choosing to put on air a an artist from a country

that the UN Commission of Inquiry has found is currently engaging in a genocide against Palestinian people in Gaza. That's quite different to news coverage, isn't it?

Clare O’Neil (SBS)

Well, not necessarily senator, because if we made a corporate decision that we weren't going to broadcast it because of the actions of a particular state, then we'd be sending a message about SBS views about it, which would necessarily include a corporate view, which people could then draw into question our editorial coverage. I would also say that it's actually not certain that Israel will be competing in Eurovision yet, because, as Ms Palfreyman noted, there will be a vote occurring in November with the EBU member states.

Senator David Shoebridge

Two questions which I'll try and roll in one because of the time, have you had any complaints, and if so, how many complaints have you received in relation to SPS stated intention to continue to show Eurovision, notwithstanding the controversy over Israel's attendance? And secondly, have you engaged with any parts of the Palestinian community, or Palestinian artists or others to help inform your decision?

Jane Palfreyman (SBS)

Senator, we've we haven't had any formal code complaints on the issue. We have had audience feedback. We've received about just under 150 pieces of audience feedback since January, and that's obviously peaked in the latter half of September. In terms of engagement, we regularly engage through many parts of our network, both through audience feedback to understand and solicit the views of our communities to inform

our position.

Senator David Shoebridge

But my question was about the Palestinian community. Have you reached out at all to the Palestinian community?

After a quick exchange, SBS will take the question on notice. Which means they will respond back at a later time.

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