HTC Debating: Second Place by a slim margin
After many trials and training the final two teams of four were selected. The nerves were high as the first round came around after only one week back at college following the mid-semester break. As the affirmative team walked to Lincoln College for their first debate they played a song steeped in tradition to hype them up for the showdown that was to come. The negative team would follow this tradition only an hour later.
The teams used their quick thinking and creativity to come up with strong arguments on the topics of ‘that schools should be allowed to prevent unvaccinated students from attending’ and ‘the government should give individuals under the age of 30 two votes in every election’, affirmative and negative respectively. The college affirmative team presented an excellent case but unfortunately lost by a slim margin of one point. The negative team secured the win against Flinders’ with a comfortable margin of six points. After round one, three Colleges had one won debate and lost one so round two would be the decider.
Round two came around, the teams had reviewed their feedback and came in prepared. This time the negative team was first up with a debate against St Ann’s on the topic of ‘School uniforms should be banned’. It was a close debate and the spectators watched on the edge of their seats. The paint boys provided vocal support throughout. Aquinas’ narrowly took the win. The second debate for the affirmative team was against St Mark’s college on the topic that ‘Australia should limit migration intake’. Yet again Aquinas took the win.
At this point of the night it came down to how St Ann’s performed in their last debate against Lincoln… they won. This put St Ann’s and Aquinas on equal wins so a count back of points was called for. By a slim margin, St Ann’s College took the win but it was a performance the Aquinas debating team could be proud of.
