Primary Schools State Debating Championships

Along with a chance to work in their school team as part of the Premier's Debating Challenge, NSW primary students can also try out to represent their region at a state championships tournament. Every year the 10 regions that cover all of NSW select a squad of their best primary school debaters to represent them at the Primary Schools State Debating Championships, which in 2024 were held at the Collaroy Centre from Sunday 17 to Wednesday 20 November. The representative teams debated 5 times on a series of unseen topics with just one hour of unassisted preparation time, and after those rounds and a couple of semi-finals it was the teams from New England and Sydney who reached this final.

The speaking time is 4 minutes (with a warning bell at 3 minutes and a continuous bell if they reach 5 minutes) and the topic of the debate is ‘That kids should have to complete an overnight camping and hiking trip in order to graduate primary school.’ Congratulations to these two teams and to all of the speakers who were selected as one of the top primary debaters in their region for the year!

First affirmative, Oxley Vale Public School – 0:01:30
First negative, Peakhurst Public School – 0:05:59
Second affirmative, Nemingha Public School – 0:10:35
Second negative, Bellevue Hill Public School – 0:13:52
Third affirmative, Armidale City Public School – 0:19:00
Third negative, South Coogee Public School – 0:24:08
Adjudication – 0:28:56

Each year, the different regions across NSW select a squad of their best primary school debaters to represent them at the Primary Schools State Debating Championship, which in 2023 was held at the Collaroy Centre from Sunday 5 to Wednesday 8 November. Each of the 10 regional representative teams debated 5 times on a series of unseen topics with just one hour of unassisted preparation time. After those rounds and a couple of semi-finals, it was the teams from Northern Sydney and Illawarra and South East who reached this final.

The speaking time is 4 minutes (with a warning bell at 3 minutes and a continuous bell if they reach 5 minutes) and the topic of the debate is ‘That kids in Year 5 and above should have to have a paid job for one afternoon a week.’ Congratulations to these 2 teams and to all of the speakers who were selected as one of the top primary debaters in their region for 2023.

First affirmative, Hornsby South Public School – 0:01:38
First negative, Moss Vale Public School – 0:06:40
Second affirmative, St Ives North Public School – 0:11:51
Second negative, Goulburn South Public School – 0:17:01
Third affirmative, Beecroft Public School – 0:22:12
Third negative, Wollongong Public School – 0:27:22
Adjudication – 0:32:30

For the first time since 2019 the 10 different regions across NSW selected their very best primary school debaters to represent them at these championships which were held over 4 days in November. Each of regional representative teams debated 5 times on a series of unseen topics with just one hour of unassisted preparation time. Following those rounds and 2 semi-final debates, the Riverina and the Hunter/Central Coast made it through to this final debate.

The speaking time is 4 minutes (with a warning bell at 3 minutes and a continuous bell if they reach 5 minutes) and the topic of the debate is ‘That student leaders should be picked at random once a term.’ Congratulations to these 2 teams and to all of the speakers who were selected as one of the top primary debaters in their region for 2022.

1st affirmative – 0:00:48
1st negative – 0:06:05
2nd affirmative – 0:11:18
2nd negative – 0:15:50
3rd affirmative – 0:21:00
3rd negative – 0:26:11
Adjudication – 0:31:06