New SBS podcast 'How Australia Works' helps migrants to navigate Australia

At a time when public trust and civics education are declining, SBS is today launching a five-part multilingual podcast How Australia Works. 

Featuring real life stories and lived experiences, the series explains Australian democracy for migrants to strengthen their sense of belonging and participation in civic life.

The Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, officially launched the initiative at Admiralty House in Sydney today, before a gathering of community leaders.

“It is vital for the health of our democracy that all Australians understand how our system of government works and how they can participate in and contribute to our society,” Her Excellency said. 

“There are few more powerful contributors to social cohesion than feeling a sense of belonging. Understanding our democracy and system of government is central to that. It’s not always easy to participate in this when you are new to Australia. 

"SBS’s initiative to make our nation’s democratic institutions more accessible to diverse and multilingual communities is an important contribution to our nation.”

 

 

 

 

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How Australia Works podcast on SBS

Hosted by Australian hip hop artist and community leader Sukhdeep Singh Bhogal, better known as L-FRESH The LION, the podcast features five 20-minute episodes in English which have been adapted into six five-minute episodes in more than 60 languages.

Singh brings a fresh and engaging approach to topics including how Australian democratic institutions work, the separation of powers, how laws are made and how daily life connects into government systems. He said the podcast was “very timely” in a period when social cohesion is fraying.

A federal parliamentary committee report* concluded last year that current civics education is “fragmented and inequitable” and recommended strengthening culturally appropriate access to civics education for adults so that all can participate fully in Australia’s democracy.

“It feels so relevant to be having conversations with people about how the systems in Australia actually work,’’ Singh said. 

“To make that knowledge not just available and accessible - but also relatable by using real stories and lived experiences. This will empower people to engage more readily with our country on all levels.”

Dr Nick Pappas AM, SBS Chair, said: 

“SBS was envisioned more than 50 years ago as a bridge to assist new migrants to understand government services and this project is a modern successor to that original mission. Our principal function remains to inform, educate and entertain all Australians, which includes actively helping new citizens to participate fully in Australian society.”  

Pamela Cook, SBS Acting Director of Language and Audio Content, added: “Some people who have recently arrived in Australia bring varied experiences of government, authority and institutions, and may not yet be familiar with how Australian systems work. 

"This multilingual series provides practical, accessible information to help audiences understand and navigate these systems, supporting a stronger sense of belonging and participation in Australian civic life.”

This latest initiative follows on the heels of last year’s SBS Audio civics project, which re-expressed the National Anthem and Citizenship Pledge in more than 60 languages and was launched at a citizenship ceremony at Government House in Canberra on Australian Citizenship Day in 2025 (17 September). 

SBS’s Learn English and Australia Explained services also carry extensive multilingual resources to help new migrants successfully settle in Australia. This includes the “Australian Citizenship” video and podcast series available in 10 languages and the explainer article “How do you prepare for the Australian citizenship test?” available in more than 30 languages.