Previous Public Debates

Public Debate 2007

It's the Economy, Stupid!
That the Howard Government has failed the Australian economy.



Affirmative
Andrew Charlton (Economist and author of Ozonomics)
Ken Davidson (Columnist for The Age and co-editor of Dissent magazine)
Liz Sheargold (Debating Goddess)

Negative
Greg Hunt (Federal Member for Flinders, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs)
Ken Phillips (Director of Workplace Reform Unit, Institute of Public Affairs)
Alex Deane (Barrister, former Chief of Staff to David Cameron MP, World Universities Debating Champion)




Public Debate 2006

In the lead up to the Victorian State election, the Melbourne University Debating Society proudly invites you to a debate on a central election issue...

Come and hear expert speakers talk about Law & Order and sentencing issues of the Victorian criminal system.

If you do the crime, you should do the time....
That we should have standard minimum sentences for criminal offences.

Time: 7:30pm
Date: Thursday 11th May, 2006
Place: G08, Law School, University of Melbourne

The debate will be followed by a light supper.

Public Debate Flyer

Please email our public debates officer, Sarah Kemeny, for more details.

Public Debate 2005

The 2005 public debate saw an engaging discussion of women's rights and the role of government in the topic:

'Abortion: are we failing women?'
Should Medicare Funding Continue?

It included speakers such as Loane Skene (President of the Academic Board) and Leslie Cannold (Author of The Abortion Myth).

For those who saw the debate, it provided for an educational and at times confrontational insight into this controversial topic.

Public Debate 2004

'That local environment action is more effective than an international diplomatic approach.'

Speakers included Kelvin Thomson MP (Shadow Federal Minister for Sustainability and Environment), David Risstrom (Melbourne City Councillor for the Greens), and our very own fabulous Lucia.