Topics And Rules
2026 Topics
All debates in the BGDA Competition are short prep with a preparation time of 60 minutes. The theme of topics for each round will be distributed to debating coordinators one week prior to the relevant round.
Please note that these topic areas are purposefully broad. Although it is unlikely a team will happen upon the exact topic in a given round, keeping up-to-date with developments in topic areas, especially for example in international relations, can only be to a team's benefit.
In a shift from previous years, the BGDA has decided to step away from the articles previously distributed via newsletter. Instead, students will be given general infoslides relevant to their topic at the conclusion of their training.
Please note that these topic areas are purposefully broad. Although it is unlikely a team will happen upon the exact topic in a given round, keeping up-to-date with developments in topic areas, especially for example in international relations, can only be to a team's benefit.
In a shift from previous years, the BGDA has decided to step away from the articles previously distributed via newsletter. Instead, students will be given general infoslides relevant to their topic at the conclusion of their training.
Rules
Below are the BGDA Competition Rules. It is a requirement that each School's Debating Coordinator, on behalf of participants and parents, accepts to abide by these rules before registering teams for the competition. 'Draw and Final Qualification Explanation' and 'Guidelines For Best Speaker' are explanatory documents that step through those processes in a clear and approachable fashion. For the exact, binding processes please refer to the Competition Rules.
Competition Rules
The rules for the 2026 Monday Competition can be found in the By-Laws Document under the 'Association Documents' tab.
Explanatory Documents
| Draw Explanation |
Competition Handbook
| 2023 Schools Handbook |