SBS and NITV will simulcast four hours of live news coverage this Saturday as Australia’s votes are counted in the referendum about whether to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in the Australian Constitution.
SBS World News at 6.30pm AEDT will be anchored by presenter Anton Enus and NITV News presenter, Mudburra and Wagadagam woman Natalie Ahmat, providing national coverage of the key news of the day and emerging referendum results, with crosses to SBS and NITV reporters on the ground in multiple locations around the country.
From 7.30pm AEDT, a two-hour live special, The Point: Australia Decides, will be presented by Wuthathi and Meriam man John Paul Janke and Whadjuk Noongar woman Narelda Jacobs. They will continue to provide their distinctive take on the referendum debate featuring diverse perspectives and elevating First Nations voices, after travelling more than 36,000km this year on The Point: Referendum Road Trip, broadcasting from communities in every state and territory. On Saturday night, they’ll deliver breaking news and analysis as votes are counted, joined by a panel of guests contributing to the discussion including Professor Marcia Langton, Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, former Senator and Olympian Nova Peris, Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth, and Tasmanian Liberal MP Bridget Archer, and more. The two-hour live special will also cross to SBS and NITV reporters providing updates at locations throughout Australia, including speaking to both Yes and No campaigners on Saturday night.
Anton Enus and Natalie Ahmat return for a late edition of SBS World News at 9.30pm AEDT, to bring viewers up to date and continue national coverage, featuring the expertise of the team from The Point along with a network of reporters nationwide.
Throughout the day and evening, rolling coverage will be delivered across digital platforms, including a live blog on the SBS News website, the SBS News app, NITV, and across SBS’s Audio network which is continuing to provide all the latest referendum news and information to Australians in more than 60 languages.
During the day, NITV will go into its vault and give Australians the opportunity to connect with culture and celebrate First Nations music and its impact with Sounds of Solidarity, a special six-hour programme from 12.30pm on NITV and SBS On Demand. Filmed in Brisbane on the Triple A Murri Country (98.9 FM) balcony as part of a co-production partnership with Brisbane Indigenous Media Association, musician Fred Leone, NITV journalist Tanisha Williams and comedian Kevin Kropinyeri, will unearth some of the best performances broadcast on NITV over the years, and some of the greatest hits of all time from iconic and trailblazing First Nations artists. The programme will also include interviews exploring the social and political context in which Indigenous music is created, and its place in the Australian cultural landscape. Throughout the afternoon, audiences will be kept up to date on how the day is unfolding with crosses to NITV News correspondents at community events and polling places around Australia.
Following Saturday’s referendum, SBS and NITV will continue the conversation, dissecting the result and its impact.
On Monday 16 October at 8.30pm on NITV, Karla Grant presents a special episode of Living Black looking at how we got to this historic referendum and hearing from some of the key Indigenous figures involved.
Remaining episodes of The Point will examine the aftermath of the referendum, exploring the next steps for the nation, and considering where to from here when it comes to progressing outcomes for First Nations peoples. Join John Paul Janke and Narelda Jacobs on Tuesday 17 October at 7.30pm live on NITV and simulcast on SBS, alongside a panel of experts to unpack what’s known of the result and the implications for Australia. Then, on Tuesday 24 October at 7.30pm on NITV, the final episode of The Point will feature special guests reflecting on the year that was and answering questions from a live audience on how outcomes for First Nations people can be improved in the wake of a Yes or No referendum result.