the stage hums with energy as acts take the spotlight, including bold performances by “gay divas” and electrifying techno ballads. the big question remains: why does australia take part every year in a european event that sits far from its shores? eurovision grew into a fixed feature of the european song festival, yet australia is not alone in joining as a non-european participant. in recent years, attention has often fixated on the geographic distance involved when competitors step onto the stage from outside europe.
armenia, azerbaijan, georgia, israel, and, of course, australia participate under an associate membership arrangement. this means states that are not members of the european broadcasting union (ebu) still take part in the competition, enjoying a unique role within the eurovision landscape.
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australia joined eurovision as the first non-ebu member to participate in 2015, and since its debut it has been one of the few nations to stay consistently involved in every edition. alongside spain, moldova, and azerbaijan, australia has become a regular presence in the festival that many fans follow closely.
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even though australia lies more than 14,000 kilometers from europe, it remains a steadfast participant each year. australians show a strong affection for the contest. the national broadcaster special broadcasting service (sbs) has aired eurovision for decades, with its earliest notable retransmission dating back to 1983. this enduring bond with europe is reinforced by shared cultural and political ties that help explain the festival’s resonance down under.
why is spain going to the eurovision final?
eurovision fandom in australia gained momentum around 2014 when danish broadcaster dr invited an sbs representative to perform during the contest break. the performance by jessica mauboy drew a huge audience—over 2.7 million australians watched from home—a moment that amplified the australian connection to eurovision.
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in 2015, marking the 60th anniversary of the competition, the european broadcasting union invited australia to participate. since then, australia has delivered uninterrupted performances and has reached the final on multiple occasions, demonstrating strong consistency and audience appeal.
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this year australia also advanced to the final and prepared to face the spanish act. even in the unlikely event of a victory, hosting the festival on australian soil would require special arrangements. in 2016 a bilateral agreement with iceland’s public broadcaster was reached to ensure the next edition could be co-hosted should australia win eurovision, reflecting collaborative planning for potential outcomes.