Kincumber win Lerryn Mutton debating shield again

Kincumber High debate team retain the Lerryn Mutton shieldKincumber High debate team retain the Lerryn Mutton shield

Kincumber High School won the Probus Club debate on August beating high quality competition.

The topic was “Would the election of Donald Trump be bad for Australia-United States relations?” and teams from Kincumber High School and Green Point Christian College gathered together to compete in the final. The Kincumber High team won, and retained the Lerryn Mutton shield for a second year. This annual debating competition is organised by the Probus Club of Kincumber. It honours former member and NSW Legislator Lerryn Mutton, who started the competition in 1993. Professional adjudicator, Ms Sue MacNeil, judged the debates, awarding points for each team’s presentation, and rebuttal of arguments of the opposing team. In the competition, four local schools debate against each other in three debates consisting of two heats and a fi nal. As in past years, this year’s heats were held at the Probus Club of East Gosford, and the Probus Club of Avoca Beach. The topic was “That BREXIT was a good decision.”

Kincumber High won against Central Coast Grammar School, and Green Point Christian College beat Erina High School. Kincumber Probus Club President, Dr. Arthur Adeney, noted that Probus members were deeply impressed with the skill of the youthful debaters and the preparation they had put into the points and counterpoints made during the debate. Kincumber High School English Teacher and Debating and Public Speaking Coordinator, Ms Sarah Keeling, said the Probus debates give students the unique opportunity to debate before a mature, interested and discerning audience.

Media release, Sep 2, 2016 Peter Park, Kincumber