While the ABC Board had decided against East Burwood, the issue was not finalised.  The Board had appointed a new Managing Director, and he had appointed a new team of senior executives who were in tune with the Board's thinking.  The new management  had selected an alternative site at Southbank, in the heart of Melbourne's new cultural precinct and on the fringe of the CBD.

However the new site required the approval of the federal parliament's  Public Works Committee.  The member for the electorate which included East Burwood was said to be a member of the committee, and he was reported to be strongly in favour of the Burwood site.  It appeared that he might have been lobbied by ABC people who lived in the area.

Given that the Public Works Committee had shown interest in the East Burwood site, the new ABC management decided the committee should see both sites at first hand.  They arranged to pick the committee members up at the Tullamarine Airport, and travel by minibus to Southbank  After a brief inspection of the Southbank site they would move on to East Burwood.

By the time the committee left Southbank it was getting close to peak hour.  After nearly an hour of chugging through traffic in a minibus to East Burwood, the committee was persuaded.

The Southbank building (above) was approved, and would house the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Radio Australia, State management and all of radio.  At a later date large parts of television would also move there.