An SBS commentator's closing remarks for the FIFA World Cup final have become a point of discussion, arriving weeks after a prominent politician renewed calls to abolish the public broadcaster. Claudio Fabiano, an SBS commentator, concluded the network's coverage of Spain's victory over Argentina by thanking "the ethnic minorities that make us so special."
The broadcast noted record audience numbers for the tournament, with Fabiano stating over 17 million Australians engaged with the Socceroos' journey. His sign-off remark drew varied reactions online, with some viewers commending the message and others questioning the phrasing. One social media user described the comment as "extremely strange," while others defended it as consistent with SBS's multicultural mandate.
Fabiano's comments followed a recent address by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, who reiterated her stance to shut down SBS if her party were to form government. Hanson argued that the broadcaster is unnecessary in the current digital age. During a press conference, she stated, "The SBS will be gone."
When pressed by SBS chief political correspondent Anna Henderson on the network's role in providing news in multiple languages and aiding migrant integration, Hanson dismissed the importance of these services. She suggested that stronger English-language requirements for migrants would be more beneficial for assimilation into Australian society. Hanson also reaffirmed her preference for a "monocultural nation" with English as the primary language, asserting this would improve employment prospects.