1 July 2009
More than 400 student competitors from 50 universities across 12 countries will converge on Melbourne this week for the 35th Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championship (Australs).
Monash University's Association of Debaters (MAD) is hosting the international students from Thursday 2 - Friday 10 July, 2009.
This is the first time that the event has been held in Melbourne in eight years.
Australs convenor Victor Finkel said the Australs were the most prestigious debating tournament in the Asia-Pacific region.
"University level debating is seen as the highest level of organised debating in the world and students will have spent months preparing for the chance to compete," Mr Finkel said.
"MAD is proud to be hosting this event and we look forward to some excellent competition."
Preliminary rounds will be held at Monash University's Caulfield Campus. The semi-finals will be held in the upper and lower houses of the Victorian Parliament and the grand-final will be held at the new Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The format for the competition is the traditional Australian style of two teams of three speakers, one for the affirmative and one for the negative, with each speaker speaking for 6-8 minutes. Teams receive their topics just half an hour prior to the debate.
The 400 students will compete in eight preliminary rounds after which the top 16 teams will be 'seeded' and progress through to knock out finals.
"Topics cover all areas of society, ranging from extremely controversial and emotive topics such as banning abortion, gay marriages, human rights and euthanasia to more mainstream political and social issues such as the need for carbon emissions trading schemes and sanctions on Iran.
"Monash University placed as runners-up last year, so we will be keen to take out the top prize this year. We're hoping for some great debates and exchanges of ideas and above all, to develop international friendships that will last a lifetime," Mr Finkel said.
The patron of the championships is the Governor-General Ms Quentyn Bryce AC.
The Monash Association of Debaters (MAD) is one of the most successful debating clubs in the world. Grand-finalists at the previous two World University Debating championships, MAD has won the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championships four times in the last eight years. With more than 350 members, MAD is also one of the oldest and largest clubs at Monash University.
For more information visit the Australs website or contact Samantha Blair, Monash University Media and Communications, +61 3 9903 4841 or 0439 013 951. | 
