The Tasmanian Debating Union is Tasmania's premier debating organisation for schools level competition, training and development. The TDU was founded in 1981 and is the sole Tasmanian affiliate of the Australian Debating Federation.
The TDU organises and conducts schools competitions for all levels of secondary education in southern Tasmania, and works with partners in the north of the state and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to conduct an annual statewide tournament.
The TDU also undertakes training and development of debaters and adjudicators across the state, and each year selects a team to represent Tasmania at the Australian Debating Championships.
Click here to subscribe to our mailing list and receive updates on TDU competitions, meetings, events and activities.
Registrations are now open for the 2025 Schools Competition. Registration is conducted through our online registration form, which can be found here.
The Competition will begin with an Exhibition Debate and Q&A at 6pm on Wednesday 5 March in the University of Tasmania's Faculty of Law, with debates commencing on Wednesday 12 March. There will be six rounds of debates, each taking place across two weeks. Competition finals will be held on 25 June and 2 July. A full draft fixture can be found here.
Registrations close at 5pm on Thursday 27 February. Please contact the Schools Coordinators (schools@tdu.org.au) if you plan to register teams but will not be able to do so before the closing date, or if you have any questions about the Competition.
Want to represent Tasmania in debating on the national stage? Registrations are now open for trials for the 2025 State Debating Team, who will travel to the National Schools Debating Championships in May or June this year. All interested students who will be enrolled in secondary education in 2025 are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Trials will be held on 25 January, in person at a venue in Hobart, and on 26 January, online. In order to be eligible for selection to the team, you must attend one (and preferably both) of these sessions, and must also attend the TDU's Debate Camp from 18-21 January, unless there is a genuine reason you are unable to do so.
Register here, or contact Charlie Pilkington at chiefadjudicator@tdu.org.au or Kathryn Ellis at president@tdu.org.au or on 0488 469 161 with any questions.