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Australia likely to join Eurovision Song Contest

The Local Austria
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Australia likely to join Eurovision Song Contest
This year's moderators: Mirjam Weichselbraun, Conchita Wurst, Arabella Kiesbauer and Alice Tumler. Photo: APA/ORF/THOMAS RAMSTORFER

Crikey! The Land Down Under - where the beer does flow and men chunder - is about to join the Eurovision Song Contest in Europe for the very first time.

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In a surprise decision, bureaucrats in Austria's national broadcaster ORF, together with decision-makers from the European Broadcast Union (EBU), have decided that Australia is now part of Europe, potentially confusing millions of kangaroos.

The organizers of the world's most popular competitive arts format, the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), will this year be held in Austria after the win last year by the country's elegant drag performer Conchita Wurst.  And joining the lineup from around Europe and Eurasia will for the first time be Australia, the land which is most often confused with Austria by tourists. 

Julia Zemiro, who hosts the wildly popular broadcast of the ESC in the great southern land, hoped "Maybe we will have beginner's luck".

"I get goose bumps when I think of it", said Zemiro.

Rumours quickly spread on which Australian artist would best represent the country in its inaugural outing in the contest which began in 1956, and which today is seen by an audience of up to 600 million viewers world wide.

Commentators have proposed a wide variety of talent, from Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave to AC/DC, Olivia Newton-John, Air Supply and even Midnight Oil.
 
The national broadcaster in Australia which broadcasts the show, SBS, has until the middle of March to make up its mind.
 
In the meantime, travel agents around the world will most likely be advising their clients not to travel to Sydney to see this year's song contest, but rather book for Vienna instead, and be assured that Australia will be represented as well.

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