Photo Competition Results

Equal Tenth Place: Benjamin Wilson

Judges’ comments:

“Dynamic image evokes serious communication – listening and speaking.

 

Mostly descriptive text. The conclusion summarises the importance of the activity in global terms however could balance by reflecting on challenges.”

 

Story:

 

The photo I have attached is of our debate team (and myself in the white shirt / black tie) gathering together to summarise our points in order to try to win the debate. Our assigned question was "Should Australia Welcome Chinese Investment?".

 

As I was the 4th speaker, it was my responsibility to hammer down the opposing side's points that Australia should not welcome Chinese investment. We gathered together as a group, my team verbally collated all of the opposition's points while I wrote everything down into a form that I could read easily.

 

I was only given a couple of minutes to present our rebuttals, which was nowhere near enough time (I believe I only got through 8 out of 10 rebuttal points). At the end of the debate, we nervously waited for the results; the officials came back and thanked everybody for participating in the extremely vigorous debate...

 

The committee stated that both sides had tried very hard to get our points across, but that there was one clear winner of this debate: Yet a few more seconds of excruciating silence (which felt like ages) until they all turned to our side to inform us that...

 

We won!!!

 

Our success in the debate competition epitomised our reason for being in China in the first place. It is extremely important for us to trade with, fully engage with and allow investment from China, as we all will mutually benefit from increased prosperity.