SBS Election Exchange roadshow to roll on ahead of May 21 ballot

Election candidates and community members at key locations in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania will get a chance to have their say during a series of events hosted by SBS language services.

SBS Arabic24 Executive Producer Sylva Mezher (R) at the Election Exchange in Bankstown on April 23. Source: SBS

The SBS Election Exchange roadshow is set to visit seven locations over the next two weeks, ahead of the Federal Election on May 21.

They include Hobart, Launceston, Dandenong, Broadmeadows, Wagga Wagga, Eastwood and Ballarat, following a successful first event in the southwest Sydney suburb of Bankstown on April 23.

Nineteen SBS language programs are taking part in the exchanges to speak with local candidates and community members.

Director of Audio and Language Content at SBS, David Hua (L), and Labor MP Jason Clare at the Bankstown event. Source: SBS

The exchanges are an important tool for empowering communities and encouraging engagement with the election, says SBS Director of Audio and Language Content David Hua.

“The SBS Election Exchange enables an independent and informed approach to policies and politicians at a local level,” Mr Hua says.

“This is an important outlet, encouraging culturally and linguistically diverse communities to be a part of the national conversation at a local level, providing the opportunity to drive the agenda and discuss the issues that matter to them.”

A number of SBS language teams attended the Bankstown event. Source: SBS

The events are the latest in a number of initiatives driven by the broadcaster to make the election more accessible for multicultural communities, including the live streaming of the recent leaders' debate in Arabic and Mandarin.

Mr Hua says SBS’s focus is to support Australia’s diverse communities throughout this election and provide an interface between Australia’s leaders, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

“Arabic and Mandarin are two of the largest language groups in Australia. By offering the leaders’ debate in Arabic and Mandarin, we hope to ultimately drive an understanding of the key issues and enable informed participation in this election."

In addition, SBS has partnered with the Australian Electoral Commission to produce a series of videos subtitled in over 40 languages, explaining the voting process and which combat election misinformation.

The Election Exchange roadshow will host events in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. Source: SBS

SBS Election Exchange locations

Hobart, Tasmania

Thursday 28 April 12pm-4pm at Multicultural Hub, 65 Hopkins Street, Moonah

SBS Mandarin, SBS Nepali and SBS Greek in attendance

Launceston, Tasmania

Friday 29 April 10am-2pm at Civic Square

SBS Mandarin, SBS Nepali and SBS Greek in attendance 

Dandenong, Victoria

Saturday 30 April 9.30am-1.30pm at Dandenong Market, Clow & Cleeland Streets

SBS Hindi, SBS Vietnamese, SBS Sinhala, SBS Khmer, NITV Radio and SBS Punjabi in attendance

Broadmeadows, Victoria

Saturday 30 April 10am-2pm at Broadmeadows Central, Pascoe Vale Road

SBS Arabic24, SBS Italian, SBS Greek and SBS Turkish in attendance 

Wagga Wagga, NSW

Thursday 5 May 10am-2pm at Wagga Marketplace Community Space, 87 Baylis Street

SBS Malayalam, SBS Filipino and SBS Kurdish in attendance

Eastwood, NSW

Saturday 7 May 10am-2pm at Eastwood Plaza, 152-160 Rowe Street

SBS Mandarin, SBS Cantonese, SBS Korean and SBS Hindi in attendance

Ballarat, Victoria

Saturday 7 May 9am-1pm at The Bridge Shopping Mall, Little Bridge Street

SBS Mandarin and SBS Filipino in attendance