Q and A Trip

A group of new Year 12 students stepped beyond the boundaries of classroom learning and travelled to Melbourne on Monday 27 November to experience being part of the studio audience of Q and A.

Juna Crozier expressed her enthusiasm for the trip as she said it opened her eyes about the workings of television and politics. “I loved being part of a live audience and experiencing what that’s like. Something as simple as seeing the camera that has the presenter’s speech above it was so interesting to me. Q and A is a show that I would never have thought to watch, but I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to view it live.”

The episode, titled ‘Coming Together’ was the final Q and A show of the year and featured a diverse panel discussing a range of important issues. Maddie Judd shared her impressions, highlighting the thought provoking insights she heard. “What I found the most interesting was hearing about the panellists’ opinions regarding the media and how it often skews the truth through biases. I particularly enjoyed Osher’s stance that we must acknowledge and respect others opinions to then consider the whole picture, not just argue senselessly. I found the conversations very stimulating and look forward to future Q and A episodes.” 

The speakers on the night included Cheng Lei, who talked about her recent release from three years in a Chinese detention centre and shared her perspective on the Australia-China relationship. Osher Gunsberg talked about men’s mental health. Todd Fernando discussed the recent Voice referendum. Charlotte Mortlock talked about the role of women in conservative politics, and Anthony Callea shared his thoughts about the effect of social media on the contemporary music industry.

Joanna Muli found the discussion informative and found it interesting when the importance of teaching about First Nation’s heritage and issues was raised. 

Lincoln Atkinson enjoyed the insight gained into the television industry, while also engaging with important societal discussions. “Being able to see how a television production works first hand was such an amazing opportunity and experiencing such a important discussion about social issues really enlightened my mind and gave me hope for the future of Australia.”

Muhammad Hossain marvelled at the meticulous planning that went on behind the scenes to produce the show, from the filming equipment to the hour long talk that occurred before the show began, which was aimed at relaxing the audience so they would respond to the conversations occurring in the show. He also highlighted the impact of the finale of the show. “Certainly, the final performance of 'Incomplete' by Anthony Callea, in order to finish off the year for Q and A, was a highlight. The questions put during the show were relevant, and the answers were a melange of views relating to politics and entertainment, in accordance with the careers and commitments of the panellists. Overall, a good night which, not only was captured on camera, but was also shown to me and everyone else behind the camera.”

Reyhaneh Hosseini summed up the experience, emphasising the diversity of the perspectives presented. “I enjoyed the experience of being in the audience and hearing and listening to all the different views the panellists had on specific topics. My favourite panelist was Cheng Lei, she was awesome!”