History of the Organisation

For over thirty years, Debating SA has been South Australia’s leading debating organisation, providing supportive and challenging opportunities for students of all abilities. Our competition has over 1400 students forming 300 teams from 60+ schools.

As a not-for-profit association, we welcome and actively encourage participation of students from all three schooling sectors: Government, Catholic Education and Independent.

We are honoured to have the support of Her Excellency The Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia.

Our Aims

• Actively promote debating, free speech, and debating-related activities that enable young people to become creative, active and knowledgeable citizens.
• Actively lead the way in providing comprehensive training to young people to enable participation and excellence in all aspects of debating.
• Provide a diverse debating program of substance whereby people of all ages can practise and improve their skills with participants from other schools or groups.
• Develop world-class training and resource materials that will assist in the promotion of debating at all levels.
• Encourage schools from across all sectors to fully participate.
• Foster a network of adjudicators and debaters keen to promote our organisation and debating in South Australia.