Hosted by Apex Echuca Moama at the Moama Bowling Club on August 12, Moama Anglican Grammar took out the Junior Debate after arguing that Australia should reduce the voting age to 16, defeating Australian Christian College Echuca.
Australian Christian College Echuca turned the tables in the Senior Debate, defeating Moama Anglican Grammar on the topic: “That young regional Victorians do not receive equitable access to government-funded services compared with metropolitan Victorians.”
Both debates were described as extremely close, with judges Dr Claire Goodman, Cr Robert Amos and Leading Senior Constable Shane Roberts assessing a high standard of student argument, research and preparation.
The competition followed mentoring sessions involving state Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh and former Victorian Farmers Federation president Brett Hosking, who met with Australian Christian College Echuca students to discuss the complexities of their debate topics.
The pair challenged students’ ideas and provided perspectives to help them sharpen their arguments ahead of the finals.
The mentoring paid off, with Australian Christian College Echuca’s senior team claiming the championship title against Moama Anglican Grammar.
The college also dominated the individual awards, claiming all three top-speaker honours.
Edna Dany was named Best Overall Speaker and Best Senior Speaker, while Amelia Dole was awarded Second Best Speaker and Lachlan Davey was named Best Junior Speaker.
The Australian Christian College Echuca junior team also produced a strong performance, finishing runners-up by just two points.
The results capped a successful competition for the college, with students demonstrating their ability to research complex issues, develop persuasive arguments and respond under pressure.
The close results also highlighted the strength of debating among students across both schools, with the standard of competition remaining high throughout the finals.
The competition provided students with an opportunity to explore issues affecting young people and regional communities while developing public speaking, research and critical-thinking skills.
