Australia could be allowed permanent participation at the Eurovision Song Contest and their partner contests.
In an interview with ESCDaily, Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand has stated that the Reference Group are still discussing whether or not Australia will be allowed to permanently participate in the Eurovision and Junior Eurovision Song Contests.
Australia have proved to deliver good artists, results and engagement. So we will discuss this. The next meeting of the Reference Group will be in January. If it is not on the agenda then, we will talk about it later. But we will decide if it stays the current model or open a permanent seat for Australia.
In 2014, Australia had their own act in the interval of Semi-Final two, in which Jessica Mauboy performed “Sea of Flags”. Australia then properly debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest and the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2015, and have participated every year since. In their Eurovision debut, they were treated as a guest country and were automatically entered into the Grand Final along with the Big Five and host country. Every year since then, Australia has had to take part in the Semi-Finals along with the other countries.
Australia’s best entry to date comes from their 2016 participation, where Dami Im placed 2nd in the Grand Final with her song “Sound of Silence”, scoring 511 points. Once again they will be opting for an internal selection for the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest.
Source: ESCDaily
Australia debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015 as part of celebrations marking 60 years of the Eurovision Song Contest. Australia has broadcast the contest since 1983 making it the country which watched the contest for the longest period of time before taking part in the contest. In 2016 Australia was represented by Dami Im with the song “Sound of Silence”. She brought Australia 2nd place in the final scoring 511 points, she was just 23 points away from victory.
Dami IM was robbed in 2016 there is obvious Political Bias in this contest.
We don’t want to be part of a contest that is tainted.
In fact she ended up 2nd, that’s not that bad I think… Maybe you should learn to relativize…