SBS viewers were not happy with a blunder last night by Eurovision: Australia Decides indicating that voting was closing at 21:45pm AEDT.
A number of acts were yet to perform, including hot favourite WA’s Voyager.
Viewers took to social media to vent over the error which was clearly meant to indicate 21:45pm AEST, when hosts Joel Creasey and Myf Warhurst announced on air voting lines had closed (22:45pm AEDT).
Many viewers complained their votes had not been received.
Sheldon Riley was voted overall winner to represent Australia in Turin, Italy.
SBS has been contacted for comment.
So voting for #AustraliaDecides #Eurovision closed an hour ago despite the fact the show is still going & we’re still being urged to vote. Did someone at @SBSEurovision forget that QLD is an hour behind the rest of the east coast due to daylight savings? What a joke.
— Richard Watts (@richardthewatts) February 26, 2022
SBS website says AEDT not AEST
It closed.
So bad by @SBSEurovision. #AusDecides #AustraliaDecides #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/OKcaRxed2k
— Ooh Lah Lah (@oohlahlah09) February 26, 2022
ARE THE LINES OPEN? THEY HVENT WVEN PERFORMED BUT YOU HVE CLOSED THE LINES, I DONT GET IT. NOT FAIR #AustraliaDecides #AusDecides #sbseurovision
— Hunter Thomson (@HunterT79864024) February 26, 2022
#AustraliaDecides you’re seriously telling us we still have time to make our votes count? The line closed an hour ago without mention on the broadcast, you’re a mess SBS #sbseurovision #SBSmess
— Jason (@JASegrave) February 26, 2022
@SBSEurovision so we all miss out on voting cause you closed the voting lines before the performances ended #AustraliaDecides #AusDecides #sbseurovision
— Hunter Thomson (@HunterT79864024) February 26, 2022
They went from saying it closed early, to saying stop voting 5 minutes after it closed. Going well. #SbsEurovision #Ausdecides #Australiadecides
— The Washing Up (@thewashingup) February 26, 2022
@SBS how can you vote when voting closed at 9.45pm? #AustraliaDecides
— Craig Nelthropp (@mrcan_88) February 26, 2022
@SBSEurovision #AustraliaDecides Such a shame that voting closed early and so my vote for Voyager won’t go through. Great performances from Sheldon Riley and Voyager!
— Eleanor Thomas (@LibraryKitteh) February 26, 2022
Trying to vote for Voyager for #AustraliaDecides but the voting has closed before the show was done!!!! Not happy SBS!!!
— Gary George (@Cats_and_Dr_Who) February 26, 2022
So has voting closed? That says it closed at 9.45pm AEDT. #AustraliaDecides #Eurovision
— Microelk (@microelk) February 26, 2022
Correction: an hour early. You really stuffed that. #AustraliaDecides
— Eldritch Elf ❤️🦇 (@armouredescort) February 26, 2022