Debating

Last week, the Debater’s Association of Victoria Schools Competition hosted its fourth round. Students were buzzing with anticipation as our debate team faced off against Ballarat Grammar. The topic: “That Australian government elections should be conducted online.” The debate centred around three key themes: accessibility, security and trust/integrity.  

Our team — on the night comprised of Baahir Abdul-Kader, Angelo Selestin and Alex Hargreaves pictured left to right above — stepped up with impressive determination. Alex, the first speaker, kicked things off by highlighting the digital divide. He pointed out that not everyone has access to reliable internet, which could disenfranchise voters. 

Baahir followed, diving into the security concerns. He painted a picture of potential cyber threats that could undermine the integrity of online voting. Angelo closed the debate, questioning whether an online system could truly be trusted to handle such a critical democratic process.

Despite their solid arguments, our team was narrowly defeated by the polished debaters from Ballarat Grammar. But let’s be clear: our students gave it their all. They supported each other, delivered their points clearly and left a lasting impression on everyone who attended.

A hat-tip to Simone Turley-Brittain, Mackenzie Sandlant and Levi Aitken, who have all played pivotal roles in previous debates, hats off to Alex, Baahir and Angelo too. You’ve proven that true success lies in the effort and camaraderie you’ve shown. While the outcome wasn’t in our favour this time, your growth and determination was what truly stood out. Here’s to many more debates and even greater achievements ahead.

Ian Morley