Welcome to the DAV Website
The DAV is a non-profit association which exists to promote debate. It
is the peak debating body in Victoria and runs large competitions for
adults and for schools across Victoria. It provides training and
resources for debaters, teachers and adjudicators.
2024 Regional Victoria Debating Competitions
The Debaters Association of Victoria runs Regional Debating Competitions in a number of regional centres across Victoria (and occasionally a competition across the border in NSW). We provide both training and debate opportunities for students residing across Victoria, with experienced adjudicators and trainers. For more information about this program, please download our information sheet.
Why Debate?
Debating is an invaluable skill for students:
- it promotes confidence and effective public presentation
- it encourages logical and critical thinking, social awareness and an interest in current affairs
- it is multi-disciplinary: debating techniques can be used in all subject areas.
- its benefits extend through all aspects of the school curriculum
- It is well directed to the "Communication" and "Thinking" domains of VELS. More specifically, it addresses the "Speaking and Listening", "Listening, Viewing and Responding", "Presenting", "Reasoning, Process and Inquiry" dimensions of VELS and VCE English
If your school would like to host a regional debating competition, please contact us at debater@dav.com.au for more details.
Regions:
In 2024, the program will be run in the following regions;
| Region | Host School | Training Date | Competition Date | Registration |
| Alpine | Myrtleford P-12 College, Prince St, Myrtleford | TBC | TBC | Registration Closed | Border | Wodonga Middle Years College, Felltimber Campus - 8 Hedgerow Ct, West Wodonga | TBC | TBC | Registration Closed |
| Churchill | Kurnai College, cnr Monash Way and Northways Rd, Churchill | TBC | TBC | Registration Closed |
| Echuca / Moama | TBC | TBC | TBC | Registration Closed |
| Gippsland | Gippsland Grammar School - Princes Highway, Sale | TBC | TBC | Registration Closed |
| Three Rivers | St. Mary of the Angels, Chapel St, Nathalia | TBC | TBC | Registration Closed |
| Hamilton |
Monivae College - 33 Ballarat Rd, Hamilton (Training Day) Hamilton and Alexandra College - 1 Chaucer St, Hamilton (Debating Day) |
TBC | TBC | Registration Closed |
| Horsham | Holy Trinity Lutheran College, 25 Trinity Dr, Horsham | TBC | TBC | Registration Closed | Mallee | Trinity Lutheran College, 920 Fifteenth St, Mildura VIC | Thursday 8th August, 12pm-3:30pm | Friday 9th August, 9:30am-3pm | Register via this form by Friday 26th July. |
| Wangaratta | Cathedral College - 344 Wangaratta-Whitfield Rd, Wangaratta | TBC | TBC | Registration Closed |
| Warrnambool | Emmanuel College (Ardlie St, Warrnambool) | TBC | TBC | Registration Closed |
What's involved? :
The program is run over two days. The first is an optional half-day training
session for students who have little or no experience of debating. The
training session introduces students to debating and covers topics such as
the rules and format of debating Australian 3-on-3 debating, methods of
preparation and effective debating strategies. Students are also given a
opportunities to practice their skills in the lead-up to the competition day,
while receiving expert advice from DAV trainers and adjudicators.
The second day is a competition day. Each team will debate in three rounds. In both divisions, two of the topics will be prepared topic (released with the draw several weeks before the day). The Year 7 and 8 division will include an advised topic, where the subject area of the topic will be released with the draw, but the exact wording of the topic will not be released until an hour before the debate. The Year 9 and 10 division will include a secret topic.
Style:
Australian 3-on-3 style (See the Australasian Debating Guide in the "Resources") - three speakers
debate for each team.
How much will it cost? :
$40 DAV membership fee (if the school has not yet participated in any other DAV activities this year), and $190 per team (between 4-7 students). This fee covers one training session and one competition day.
If you would like your students to attend only the training session, or a second training session, the cost is $80 per 7 students as well as the $40 DAV membership fee (if not previously paid).
Due to a generous grant from the federal Department of Education, the Mallee Regional Debating Competition is free for all participating schools.