Paul Clarke, Creative Director for Australia t Eurovision, is confident of his country remaining in the Eurovision Song Contest. The contract will enter its final year, with the agreement expiring after the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. What’s next for Australia?
Paul Clarke: “I’m really confident”
Australia debuted at Eurovision in 2015 as a one-off invitation. In case of a victory, the EBU would allow them back at the competition. However, despite a fifth place for Guy Sebastian in Vienna, SBS still received an invitation to come back the following year. The broadcaster signed a contract, which they extended in 2019. It will now expire after the contest in 2023.
Despite the uncertain situation, Paul Clarke is confident of his country’s future at the contest. In previous years, Clarke has acted as the Head of Delegation for Australia. The past two editions, he remained with the delegation as their Creative Director. Together with Emily Griggs, the SBS Head of Entertainment, he has been working behind the scenes in Turin to get assurances on Australia’s future at Eurovision.
Speaking to TV Tonight, Paul Clarke said:
Another part (of being here) is doing a little bit of lobbying. Working around the soft political power. The embers are always burning at Eurovision. I’m really confident that will be extended. I think they like our sense of a irreverence and we’ll have a crack with some wild prop. The Kate Miller-Heidke performance is remembered as one of the absolute greatest moments of props they’ve ever seen!
Paul Clarke to TV Tonight
In Australia, not all reactions to their Eurovision participation have been positive, despite some respectable results. This year, Sheldon Riley finished in fifteenth place in the Grand Final in Turin with “Not The Same”.
Do you think Australia’s contract at the Eurovision Song Contest should be extended? Is Paul Clarke right? Let us know! Be sure to stay updated by following @ESCXTRA on Twitter, @escxtra on Instagram and liking our Facebook page for the latest updates! Also, make sure you follow us on Spotify for the latest music from your favourite Eurovision acts.
The simple answer is NO. Australia should not be in Eurovision, and that\’s coming from an Australian. If the EBU wants Australia permanently, change the rules. Only full EBU members are eligible yet the EBU continues to invite this associate member that is no where near Europe, not aligned with Europe, and is an anomaly in Europe. The EBU is also breaking its initial promise that the appearance in 2015 was a \”one off\” and the 2016 appearance was about opening ESC to the world. Yet it blocks Kazakhstan from EBU membership, or even a special invitation, despite it having territory in Europe. The lobbying that Paul Clarke mentions should not be the gateway to ESC and is instructive of the arrogance and entitlement of the Australian representatives. Clarke should note the results from the European public show Australia is not that revered, as there seems clear resentment of Australia in Eurovision. Every year except for 2019 there\’s been a huge gap between jury and public points, which culminated in this year\’s embarrassing result. Either change the rules so Australia can join the EBU and everything is transparent, or it\’s goodbye Australia in 2023.