Video transcript
Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition 2020 - Years 5 and 6 state final

[Music playing]

TONY DAVEY: Welcome to the 2020 Years 5 and 6 Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking State Final. So, my name is Tony Davey, and I'm the Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Coordinator. I work for the Department of Education and I'm here on Cammeraygal Land, that belongs to the Eora Nation. But, of course, the people you're going to hear from today are on lots of different lands. So, we thought that we'd hear from them one by one, about where they were, and which lands they were on, starting with the speaker at Kurrajong Public School.

OLIVIA PILGRIM: Hi, my name is Olivia Pilgrim, from Kurrajong Public School, on the traditional land of the Darug people.

CHLOE WORNER TOMLINSON: Hi, my name is Chloe Worner Tomlinson, from Young Public School, on the traditional land of the Wiradjuri.

JAYDA JOMMA: Hi, my name is Jayda Jomma, from Wattle Grove Public School, on the land of the Dharawal people.

SUSANNA ROYAL: Hi, my name is Susanna Royal, from Terara Public School, and I am from the traditional land of the Eora Nation.

ELKE KALINSKI: Hi, my name is Elke Kalinski, from Crown Street Public School, from the traditional land of the Gadigal people.

LILLY WATKINS: Hi, I'm Lilly Watkins, from Kanwal Public School, on the traditional land of the Darkinjung people.

ADHRIT MITRA: Hi, I'm Adhrit Mitra, and I'm from Homebush West Public School, on the land of the Wangal clan of the Darug tribe.

NAOMI DIGHT: Hi, I'm Naomi from Dulwich Hill Public School, on the traditional land of the Gadigal Wangal people.

THEODORE HOLMES: Hi, I'm Theo, and I'm at Narranga Public School on the traditional lands of the Gumbaynggirr people.

SAANVI KASHYAP: Hi, my name is Saanvi, and I'm from Parramatta Public School, which stands on the traditional lands of the Darug people.

TONY DAVEY: Excellent work, guys. Really good. So, the first thing I want to say is congratulations on making it to this state final of the Years 5 and 6 competition. This year we had nearly 1100 videos submitted. And, of those 1100 videos of prepared speeches, we chose 160 of you guys to make it to a live regional final. And, of that, there are now you 10 remaining in this Years 5 and 6 competition. So, you are like the very, very best speakers on Earth anywhere. Congratulations.

Of course, that also sucks, because it means everyone else is awesome as well. And, this will be a really tough day for you, but even worse for the adjudicators. So, look at it that way.

So, congratulations on making it this far, and also on celebrating the 25th year of this competition with us. We think that's a really big deal, even though, of course, it's been a very weird year because of COVID. We reckon you've done a great job of adapting, and giving your speeches just as well as ever before.

Finally, let's go through the adjudicators for today. So, the first adjudicator I want you to meet is Ellie Stephenson. There she is down there. She's a Smith's Hill High School graduate who was in the 2007 state final of I think the Plain English Speaking Award Tournament, which is like the grown-up version of this competition. But, she lost that, and now she's devastated, and obviously hasn't been the same ever since. In fact, of course, she went on to be an excellent debater, and probably one of our most experienced adjudicators now.

The next person you're going to meet is Kate Harris. So, Kate Harris is with the Multicultural Education Team from NSW. And, she's the New Arrivals Programs Advisor for the Department. And, that means she gets to design professional learning for teachers, and support students who are learning English, because they've recently arrived in Australia and come from overseas. Plus, of course, she's an experienced adjudicator now. She adjudicated last year's final in this tournament as well, if anyone can remember last year, because it was like a million years ago.

And, your last adjudicator is Justine Clarke. So, she is the current Speaking Competitions Officer of The Arts Unit of the Department of Education, which means she's in charge of running this competition, along with all of the public speaking and debating competitions in government schools in NSW. And, she's obviously the coach of a number of very, very successful ex-public speaking students as well. All right?

The last thing I want to say before we kick off is that this is the 25th year of the competition, and that wouldn't be possible without the support of the Department of Education, first of all, who've been remarkable; and all of the people above me who work so hard to make this happen; but also without the Multicultural Education team. So, it's been 25 years they've been helping to run this competition. Every cent that's gone into this competition has come from the Multicultural Education team across every one of those 25 years. So, this competition can only stay alive because of those people in the Department.

And, lastly, of course, to your teachers, who this year weren't just helping you to learn teaching, sorry, to learn speaking, but were also IT support people. They were your camera men and camera women. They did all kinds of extra stuff to make sure that the competition managed to keep running this year. So, a massive thanks to them as well.

That's it then. The boring stuff is out of the way, and it's time to begin the Public Speaking Tournament. So, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to welcome our first speaker this morning, Olivia Pilgrim, representing Kurrajong Public School. And, the subject of Olivia's speech is "Racism? No Way".

OLIVIA PILGRIM: "For those who've come across the seas, we've boundless plains to share. With courage, let us all combine to Advance Australia Fair".

Let's examine these lines from our own National Anthem for a moment. Do we really share with those who 'come across the seas'? Do we really all combine to 'Advance Australia' forward? Or, do we allow those who join our country to be judged, offended, and insulted? Racism runs widely and deeply in Australian society, and it undermines the fabric of our multiculturalism. Racism? No way.

The statistics surrounding racism are staggering. Sadly, 1 in 5 Australians have experienced racism. This is not OK. We are not talking about an isolated issue here, something that happens now and again. We are talking about an issue that is a significant part of Australian culture, part of who we are and how we behave.

We are not separate. We are inevitably and unavoidably connected, and our attitudes need to start reflecting that. The very future of our world depends upon our ability to squash stereotypes, and say 'No way!' to narrow perspectives.

It's not a new problem, either. Throughout Australian history, racism has been rampant. Our own national politics is proof of that.

First, there was the White Australia Policy, an attempt to keep our migrants to only Europeans. Then, the One Nation Party, who are trying to stop Asian migration. The first targets were our Aboriginal people. But, it shifts. The Irish, the Greeks and Italians, the Vietnamese, and more recently the Sudanese, and those from the Middle East. It seems whenever a new nationality joins our country in significant numbers, our prejudice shifts to them.

Currently, we see racist comments made towards the Chinese because of the coronavirus and the devastating effects it has had on our way of life. Denial is the most dangerous element at play here. John Howard said he refused to accept that there is underlying racism in Australia. And, Kevin Rudd said he didn't believe that racism was at work in this country. Malcolm Turnbull gloated that Australia is the most successful multicultural society in the world.

Well, that all sounds lovely, but it seems Turnbull, just like those before him, was happy to turn a blind eye to racism. But, we all know that racism is alive and well. It always has been. It's just the targets that change, not the attitudes. If Scott Morrison sat at a table with Anh Do, with Adam Goodes, with my own great-great-grandmother, a little Italian migrant girl living in a very white North Queensland in the early 1900s, if he heard their stories, he could not deny that Australia has always had a racist undertone.

As we enter a recession, we are at a critical moment in Australia's multicultural history. We know recession and racism go hand-in-hand, as people need someone to blame. It is crucial that our political leaders get this right, and given our history, we need to do more.

They must lead the conversation. They must steer us through this difficult time. We must all steer away from negative comments towards acceptance.

And, if we are truly going to live by the words of our anthem, if we are going to claim we are truly multicultural, then we need to change our attitudes. Let's make sure the next part of history's page has us all rejoicing, so that we can make this Commonwealth of ours 'renowned of all the lands' for being a truly multicultural society, one that embraces new traditions, celebrates diversity, and says, 'No way!' to racism.

[Applause]

TONY DAVEY: With massive thanks to Olivia, it's now time to move on to our second speaker, Chloe Worner Tomlinson, representing Young Public School. And, the subject of Chloe's speech is, "It's complicated".

CHLOE WORNER TOMLINSON: It's complicated. Maths equations, complicated. Solving a Rubik's cube, complicated. Teaching my grandparents how to use Zoom, beyond complicated.

So, too, is multiculturalism. Many people say that the more multicultural we get, the more complicated things get, and I agree. We are a country of many cultures, many languages, and many identities. And, living in our society can be complicated as a result. But, these complications are worth it, because it makes Australia the diverse, successful place we are today.

The way Australia has treated people from different backgrounds has changed over time. Even the history of my local town, Young, is complicated. At the time of the Gold Rush, we were the scene of thousands of Chinese miners being beaten up, poorly treated, and attacked. There were riots between the European and Chinese miners. We were the start of the White Australia Policy. It doesn't sound very racially tolerant or inviting, does it?

But, to stark contrast to this today, we celebrate our connections with the Chinese culture. We have the Chinese Memorial Gardens, a sister city in China, and a Chinese festival. We have a local history that has gone from reacting against the Chinese to developing deep ties with them. Talk about complicated.

Sometimes, we can try our best to respect other cultures, but it isn't as easy as you'd think, as demonstrated by an episode last year at school. One of the biggest fundraisers that our school's P&C runs is the Meal Deal. This is where a student pays $5 to get a sausage sandwich, a lolly, and a drink. It's a big deal for our P&C.

The only problem was that traditionally the school has bought pork sausages. A lot of our parents were pig farmers. But, with a significant number of Muslim kids at school these days, the P&C recognised that pork sausages weren't appropriate for all. So, they bought a second barbecue, and special halal sausages from Sydney.

The only problem was that this meant running 2 barbecues. And, to be honest, the P&C didn't think that that looked very inclusive, having sausages coming from different barbecues for the Muslim and non-Muslim kids.

Surely you could unite the school with 1 barbecue. So, advice was taken, an Imam was consulted, the barbecue especially cleansed and blessed. We were barbecue-ready.

Next, the sausages. My mum spoke for the local abattoir. Yes, their beef sausages were halal. Great. Problem solved. The sausages were ordered from the butcher.

But, then the butcher pointed out that as soon as the sausages entered the shop, they came in contact with pork products. They were no longer suitable. Further complications.

Muslim mums were asked, what do you do? Some bought sausages from Sydney when they went there. And, some bought the local beef sausages, even though they weren't halal. It was complicated.

It all depended on their approach to Islam. The halal sausages were so expensive that if they used them for all the students, the pricing of the meal deal would be so high, many wouldn't be able to afford it. So, despite all their efforts, in the end the P&C had to return to using 2 barbecues. The pork sausages on the main barbecue, and the special halal sausages from Sydney on a separate barbecue.

In some ways, the P&C failed. They did not have all the school eating from the same barbecue. But, Young Public tried so hard to respect the Muslim practices. That's what matters.

So, maybe this is a lesson for all of us, especially when the situation is complicated. We need to try, even if our first attempts are a bit clumsy and imperfect. It's the intent that matters to everyone.

[Applause]

TONY DAVEY: Then, ladies and gentlemen, with massive thanks to Chloe Worner Tomlinson, now it's time for our third speaker this morning, Jayda Jomma, representing Wattle Grove Public School. And, the subject of Jayda's speech is "A World of Difference".

JAYDA JOMMA: 2020 has been a year none of us will ever forget. It's been a year I've not only learned lot more about myself and who I am, but more about the world and humanity. It has made me realise there's a world of difference out there that exists for some people based on racial, cultural, and religious stereotypes, in particular, Indigenous Australians. If only we could find ways to connect, understand the person's journey, and use our differences to build strength, Australia would be a better place for everyone.

I have not only grown up in a multicultural home of Australian, Lebanese and Palestinian heritage, but in a mixed religious family of Islamic and Catholic faiths. Nothing is black or white, and, although I come from a loving home, it can sometimes be confusing. Yet, we make it work, because both sides of my family connect with each other, learn about other's culture, and we have built strength from this understanding. So, there's not a lot of difference between who we are. I get to have the best of both worlds, having grown up celebrating Eid with my dad's family, an Easter egg hunt with my mum's.

I know I'm very lucky, and thankful, for growing up in Australia, and I feel that should be the same for everyone who lives here. But, recently, after watching a documentary called "The Australian Dream", I have come to understand that there really is a world of difference out there for our Indigenous community, and this does not sit easily with me. This documentary followed the journey of Adam Goodes, a former AFL player and Australian of the Year, who took a stand against racism. I learned about Adam's history, including his mother being part of the Stolen Generation.

Stan Grant, a journalist and television presenter, was also a part of the documentary, and shared some insight into his childhood. He revealed as a kid he tried to rub the colour off his skin so he could just fit in. Could you imagine being made to feel like this? After seeing the emotion and the pain through their eyes, I really connected with their journeys, and I truly understand their stories. Instead of learning from the world's oldest culture, that has continuously existed for over 60,000 years, European settlement has nearly destroyed it.

This is a culture that has adapted to change, enabling them to survive for so long. Community and connection is central to their well-being. We have learned so much from this, and by changing our ways we can enrich our communities and inspire our future.

This needs to happen with a sense of urgency, as even today only 30% of children in the Aboriginal community complete the HSC, compared to 75% to 80% of all Australian children. Why is there such a lot of difference, in what is really their land? Our First Nations people need to be hugged, acknowledged, and respected, to help close this gap. And, I believe that as students we can start by finding different ways to connect and understand their story through embracing their history and keeping their culture alive.

This year has also taught me that we need to get creative. Wouldn't it be amazing to link with schools in remote Indigenous communities, and learn both from and with them, while challenging our differences? What is stopping us?

Since we started remote learning earlier this year, my class is connected by Zoom to a small rural school of 25 students called Gallagher Public School that was affected by the January bushfires. We share what we are doing in our lessons, what games we play, and we have sent emails to each other. From these regular interactions, we have really connected with them, and learned so much about their stories. And, this has given us a deeper understanding of their lives.

Although very different to my life, they are just like us, coming to school to learn, have fun with their friends, and wanting to succeed and be accepted. What ways can you and your community connect and innovate and make a difference?

In 2020 it is incredible to think there's still a lot of difference out there for many people in our society, but particularly the lives and expectations of Aboriginal people. This needs to change, and it starts with us.

My family's background, together with my journey this year, has shown me that we need to use our differences to inspire. Listen to a person's story so you can learn more about their past and culture, and connect in ways that we never would have thought of. Why can't 2020 be remembered for a positive change, so that one day everyone is truly valued, and this world of difference will finally disappear.

[Applause]

TONY DAVEY: With massive thanks, then, to Jayda over at Wattle Grove, it's time to welcome our fourth speaker this morning, Susanna Royal, representing Terara Public School. And, the subject of her speech is "Learning from the Past".

SUSANNA ROYAL: The South Coast of NSW, home to white beaches and clear waters, depths of native undergrowth and greenery, full of kind people welcoming all travellers to enjoy their stay.

I live in the area. My bungalow. My joy. My happiness. My own personal infinite bush to practise my skills privately, and devour delicious food, juicy fruits, tender meats, and even the creamiest gelato.

But, there's another cottage on the other side of the river. Perhaps, if my government, believed I had to spend hours studying gospel, rather than English, STEM, sports, or creative arts, I might have lived there. Perhaps, if I had been born 100 years ago, I might have lived there. Perhaps if my skin had been a different colour, I might have lived there.

At 59 Beinda Street, Bomaderry, a part of this wonderland, you will find an Aboriginal children's home that used to take 1 to 10 year old kids and teach them all the necessities for being a very low-paid servant. There, even after these many years, these kids slaved away, some still didn't get the wages they deserved and worked hard for. Being told that your culture never existed, being forbidden to speak your own language, and even thinking that your parents are dead, can you imagine that?

Considering this information, we can begin to learn from the past. First, we must reflect. The United Aboriginal Mission home closed down in 1988. And, since then, one of the several rooms have been turned into a reflection room. This room is for Aboriginal people to have a place to go and reflect on the good, and not so good times. This room is also for anyone who would like to be educated about the Stolen Generation's past.

But, after a time of reflection, comes action. And, it's our turn to leave a positive footprint. An Indigenous author, Kirli Saunders, recently came to my school to talk about her passion for writing books about her culture, family, and history. That got me thinking. What other amazing Indigenous artists are out there that I can support, so that they too have the opportunity to share their stories with future generations?

Like Kirli was passionate about her writing, I'm devoted to dance. I dance around 7 hours a week. But, we focus on styles like ballet, jazz, lyrical and tap.

I started watching "Move It Mob Style", which is a positive and high-energy TV show on the ABC that showcases young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' culture through dance and music. After watching multiple episodes, I found that it really expanded my horizon on what I knew about dance, and how to perform it. Soon enough, I could pop and lock just as easy as doing a pirouette.

But, to create a good dance, you need a catchy tune. Baker Boy is a 23-year-old Indigenous rapper from Arnhem Land. He sings in his home language, Yolnu Matha.

To inspire people of colour to express who they are, and tell their own stories, Baker Boy's song, "Marryuna", which means "Let's Dance", is about the elation you feel when freestyle dancing, which is such an important part in Yolnu culture. "Marryuna" was one of the first songs Baker Boy uploaded on to Triple J Unearthed, which is a platform that supports upcoming Australian artists by getting their names out there. It's really easy to find new Indigenous artists on Unearthed, because there is a search category devoted to just that. There are so many new faces and names of Aboriginal Australians from all over our country that anyone can find a song to pop and lock to.

In Australia, we pride ourselves on being a multicultural country. We have people from New Zealand, China, Tharawal and Kuringgai. But, for those of us who live on Yuin country, we are lucky enough to be surrounded by white beaches and clear waters, depths of native undergrowth and greenery, but most importantly history. We shouldn't push the past behind us and pretend it didn't happen. Instead, we need to teach young generations to treat all people with equality, to respect the cultures around them, and listen to the stories of others. It is never too late to reflect, act, and leave a positive footprint in the red dirt that we all call home.

[Applause]

TONY DAVEY:

Alright. With thanks to Susanna Royal, it's now time to welcome our fifth speaker this morning, Elke Kalinski, from Crown Street Public School. And, the subject of Elke's speech is "Colour Matters".

ELKE KALINSKI: Red, the colour of strawberries, or a stop sign, or a big bunch of roses. Green, the ccolour of grass, or a Christmas tree, or my school uniform. White, the colour of clouds, or snowflakes, or the colour of my skin. Black, the colour of charcoal, the night sky, and also the skin colour of George Floyd, a black American man who was recently killed by a white police officer in the United States of America.

Colour matters. Racism is nothing new. People of Colour, essentially anyone who isn't white, have historically been treated as second-class citizens across the world. They've been treated unfairly, unequally, and without respect.

George Floyd was arrested by 4 police officers for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 note. He was held face-down on the street, with one officer's knee holding his neck down for nearly 8 minutes. Floyd begged him to stop, saying he couldn't breathe. But, his pleas were ignored, and his body was left lifeless with the officer still on his neck.

George Floyd's death sparked a resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, instigating protests across the country, demanding justice and equality. It then began spreading very quickly across the world, including here, in Australia.

The discrimination against Floyd and other African-Americans parallels the treatment of Indigenous Australians here. It's no secret that Aborigines have suffered greatly in many ways since the English invasion in 1788. But, the disturbing fact is that even after all this time, the colour of their skin still leaves them open to constant discrimination. And, that discrimination often comes from police officers abusing their power. Since 1991, 437 Indigenous Australians have died in custody, with not one of those responsible being held accountable for these deaths.

So, why Black Lives Matter, rather than 'All Lives Matter'? Some people see this as racist.

So, listen up. Your house has caught on fire, and your neighbour walks past and asks what the fuss is about. You say, our house is on fire, but they reply, what about my house? Their house is clearly not on fire. You point this out, but they say all houses should be treated equally. All houses matter.

But, your house is on fire. Should you be worried equally about the house not on fire? Does it make you a housist if you don't?

No. You are not a housist, and you are not a racist for saying Black Lives Matter. It doesn't mean only Black Lives Matter. But, like the house on fire, it's Black Lives that are in danger. And, it's up to all of us to stop the house from burning down.

Black Lives Matter needs white people to support and carry its message, for it's white people that have the power to do so. Not that that's how it should be - but that that's how it is.

It's not me who will be followed around a shop by a security guard for no reason. It's the Aboriginal kid. And, it's my white parents that the taxi driver will stop for, even though the Aboriginal man hailed him down first.

I imagine that while the law declares you innocent until proven guilty, if your skin is black, you might feel like it's the other way around - guilty until proven innocent.

Is this fair? No way. So, if we want to create any sort of equality in society, in Australia, and in the world, we all need to get up and be active - not passive in our support of this movement.

Right now, it might seem like a distant fairy tale to think that the colour of your skin doesn't matter. But, if we all work together now, that fairy tale could maybe, just possibly, become a reality one day - a day when the sky is blue, the grass is green, and those are the only colours that matter.

[Applause]

With massive thanks to Elke for her speech, it's now time to welcome our sixth speaker this morning, Lilly Watkins, representing Kanwal Public School. And, the subject of Lilly's speech is 'A World of Difference.'

LILLY WATKINS: I love my family, but does loving all of my family mean that I can never tell just my dad I love him, or just my mum I love her? Recently, protests broke out around the world in support of Black Lives Matter. But, some are against it, arguing it's racist, because all lives matter.

But is it? Are we saying other lives don't matter, just because at this moment we're saying Black Lives Matter?

I don't believe it's racist. I can tell my dad I love him, and to love the rest of my family, just like I can support black lives and all other lives.

The thing is, sometimes some things are just more urgent than others. For example, if my friend needed rushing to the hospital, and at the same time my mum needed a Band-Aid, sorry, Mum, but I'm calling the ambulance - then getting a Band-Aid. Both are important, but one is an emergency.

I believe by focusing on Black Lives, we discover that there is often a world of difference between how black people are treated compared to how white people are treated. One of those differences is how black people are stereotyped. Stereotyping is an emergency, and we need to address it.

Recently, I watched a video of a mother with 2 teenage sons. One son had fair skin, and the other was adopted and had dark skin. Both sons were similar in every other way. But, the way they were treated was often worlds apart. There was a world of difference, in a bad sense.

When they go to the shops, the dark-skinned brother gets followed by security guards. He always gets his bags checked, and the minute there's a problem, he's the first one accused. Meanwhile, his fair-skinned brother never gets accused of anything.

As the middle child, I know how it feels when your siblings are treated better than you. And, believe me, it's not good. What I've experienced is known as middle child syndrome, which may or may not be an actual thing. But what this brother experienced is known as racial stereotyping, which is definitely a thing - a really, really bad thing.

Sadly, power leaders often set a bad example with racial stereotyping. 'Thugs,' 'lazy,' 'criminals.' These are just a few of the terms American President Donald Trump has used about African-Americans. But, when he talks about himself, and people with fair skin, he's quick to point out, they're good people even if they've made mistakes.

Sadly, stereotyping also occurs in Australia. There is often a world of difference in what people assume about Indigenous people compared to what is true. Some say they are uneducated, involved in too much crime, and do drugs. These stereotypes are false. They result in hardworking, law-abiding Indigenous people being treated unfairly.

Stereotypes could also be subtle. For example, the media often only ever showing images of Aboriginal people dancing in traditional dress, and never just as accountants, in a suit and tie. A subtle stereotype like this can actually make it hard for Aboriginal people to get jobs.

So, what can we do? By recognising the ways we stereotype, maybe we can start to make the world of difference - in a good sense. Instead of arguing 'all lives matter,' we should listen to the stories of how our Indigenous brothers and sisters have been treated. We need to open our eyes to stereotyping

Yes, all lives matter. There is nothing wrong with this statement. But, let's stop using it to hide the fact that there is often a world of difference between how black people and white people are treated. Let's acknowledge Black Lives Matter, and stop stereotyping. Maybe then we can start to make the world of difference - but in a good sense. Maybe then we'll truthfully and honestly be able to say, 'All lives matter.'

[Applause]

TONY DAVEY: All right. Massive thanks to Lilly. And, now it's time for our seventh speaker this morning, Adhrit Mitra, from Homebush West Public School. And, the subject of Adhrit's speech is, 'Racism, no way.'

ADHRIT MITRA: What's in a name? Well, a name is a big part of our identity. We take pride in it. But, did you know, when applying for a job, recruitment agencies are sometimes biassed towards applicants with certain kinds of names? Despite laws that prohibit discrimination based on ethnicity, the fact remains that racist attitudes, whether unconscious or overt, influence many of the hiring decisions in companies.

Australian National University researchers sent out 4000 fake job applications to employers advertising on the internet, changing only the racial origin of the supposed applicants' names. It showed that people with foreign names had a 1 in 5 chance of getting shortlisted, whilst those with Anglo-Saxon names had a 1 in 3 chance. It simply puts into words the unspoken desire of many hiring managers to recruit people who look and sound just like them.

One of the biggest problems existing today is racism. All over the world, people continue to be discriminated against due to their skin colour, race and background. It is simply unacceptable that some people have to deal with unfair treatment because of something they have no control over. How would you feel if you were to be judged and excluded from activities because of the god you believe in, the way you dress, or the colour of your skin?

I remember when I moved to another neighbourhood, I had gone to the park to make some friends. And, when I tried to start a conversation with the other kids, one kid started making racist jokes. And, the reaction of the other children was the opposite of what I had expected. Instead of telling the boy to stop, they started laughing, and I just stood there awkwardly.

But, I didn't give up. I tried, and eventually we became friends. And, the boy turned out to be quite nice.

So, I asked him why he had treated me like that to begin with? And, his response, after a pause, was that he too was treated that way by others. And, so, he thought it was OK to say things like that. From this, I concluded that if someone is being racist, it doesn't necessarily mean they're trying to be rude. It might be because they don't know any better.

I then explained to him that the things he had said were racist, and could be offensive to others. Since he had been through racism himself, and knew exactly how terrible it felt, he could, instead, stop those who are being racist, and befriend those who are victims of such behaviour. And, after all, nobody loses when it comes to kindness. The good deed will bring him far more joy than the momentary pleasure of cracking racist jokes.

Everyone has a role in addressing racism. If the society has to be non-racist, children have to grow up in an environment where the positive value of diversity is stressed. They have to be taught to take pride in their cultural identity, as well as being appreciative of other cultures. If children are taught that racism is not right, then children will naturally grow up to be non-racist adults, leading to a non-racist society.

Guess what? I met that racist friend of mine at another friend's party. And, this time I saw him stopping a few other kids who were making racist jokes at the cost of someone else. It put a smile to my face, thinking that I had made a positive difference in my own small way.

As society continues to evolve, I have a vision that the human race will be liberated of petty thoughts like racism and discriminating by colour. We must all embrace racial diversity in order to create a society where everyone feels loved, and nobody feels rejected. And, after all, laundry is the only thing that should be separated by colour.

[Applause]

TONY DAVEY: OK. And, with thanks Adhrit, it's now time to welcome our eighth speaker in this competition, Naomi Dight, representing Dulwich Hill Public School. And, the subject of Naomi's speech is 'It's Complicated.'

NAOMI DIGHT: So, you feel sad and angry when you hear about refugees being held in detention centres. But, what can you do? On the one hand, it is unfair to lock someone up just because they had to escape their country. But, on the other hand, you don't want to encourage people to make a dangerous boat trip to Australia. Should you just stay out of it, and let other people decide what to do?

Or, perhaps you are trying to come up with ways to help our planet. You start to think about bushfires, drought, mining, climate change, and you think, no way. There's nothing I can do. I can't understand all this. It is way too complicated.

But, is it? Well, unless you're trying to convince a panda to protest with you, then no, always something you can do. With climate change and racism, poverty, and many other horrible things in this world, we might think something needs to happen. We might want to change things. But, often we don't end up doing anything. We get stuck.

But, sometimes you've just got to do your best with the information you have. A lot of the time we don't need to stress over knowing every single detail. For instance, my disability. I have a condition called craniofrontonasal dysplasia. And, don't worry, I even have trouble saying that.

But, what comes with this condition is a lot of staring, combined with jaw dropping, pointing and whispering behind hands. All of this, instead of just politely asking me a question. Sometimes the simplest thing is to ask. And, other times, you might need to be brave.

Imagine it's 1965, and you live in the hot, dry town of Moree in NSW. After a boiling school day, all the kids rush to jump into the local pool. But, if you're an Aboriginal kid, you can't go. The law says Aboriginal people cannot swim in the pool.

When Charles Perkins, an Aboriginal University student from Sydney, went to Moree back then, he was outraged by the unfairness. He led a protest at the pool that lasted for many days.

But, it wasn't easy. People threw stones, eggs and tomatos at the protesters. They spat at them and violently attacked them.

But, the protesters won, and the Council changed the law. The Aboriginal kids could swim at the pool, just like all the other children. And, for Charles Perkins and the protesters, the choice was clear. The discrimination was wrong, and, by protesting, they could stop it.

So, I'm not saying that everything's easy and nothing's difficult. There are some things that are very complicated in this world. Take, for example, the Black Lives Matter protests.

These big protests are going on all over the world. And, there's no doubt that too many black people in America and Australia have been arrested and sent to prison. Too many suffer with discrimination, violence and even death due to police actions. So, you can understand why people want to protest about this.

But, at the same time, we were all told to avoid being in large gatherings due to the pandemic. And, this is where the hard decisions come in. Should you fight for something very important, but be a part of a big protest, or should you stand back for health and safety reasons? This is a genuinely complex situation. There are good arguments on both sides.

Kwame Christian is an American man who has worked many years at an institute for race and ethnicity. He said the best things are on the other side of a difficult conversation. He understands how difficult it can be to confront racial inequality, and he helps people have these conversations at work and at school. He thinks these conversations have to happen, even if they're a bit hard. And, I agree.

So, the next time you see someone getting bullied or harassed, but you think it would be too difficult to say something, think again. Instead of staying quiet, make sure the person is OK, because it is never too complicated to help someone. Now, where is that panda? The protest is starting soon.

[Applause]

TONY DAVEY: So, ladies and gentlemen, massive thanks to Naomi. And, now it's time to welcome our ninth speaker this morning, Theodore Holmes, from Narranga Public School. And, the subject of Theo's speech is 'Learning from the Past.'

THEODORE HOLMES: Let me start by telling you about a story from my past. About a year ago, I was riding my bike along Cobbs Creek, and I was riding up to this swamp with a boardwalk spanning over it, before continuing up a rather steep hill. And so, I was changing my gears to go up this hill, what I heard a loud snap behind me. And so, I looked down to see that my chain had sprung off.

At this point, I didn't know that I was getting far too close to the edge of this boardwalk. And, it was then that I had decided to hop off and fix my gears. So, I swung my leg over my bike and down on to nothingness.

I spent the rest of that Easter Sunday in hospital, as the doctors plastered up my broken arm. The holidays weren't much fun with my arm in a cast, and I missed out on most of the basketball season.

When I think back about this event from my past, there are 2 ways that I could respond. I could be scared that I might get hurt again. I could try and pretend that the accident didn't even happen in the first place, because I'm embarrassed about it. Or, I could learn from this experience, and, as a result, become a better, more careful cyclist.

We all have to make choices. And, some of these choices are going to be mistakes. So, it's important that we don't let our lives be defined by the mistakes that have been made, because we wouldn't get anywhere, would we? We'd be too scared to try anything new, or to do something that when we didn't before, it didn't turn out well, or made you embarrassed. Instead, we should take on what happened then, and learn from that experience or mistake, so that way it won't happen again.

But now, if we take a step back, because I'm not the only one who can learn from the past, am I? If we take a look at Australia's colonial history as a whole, we could respond in 2 different ways. When I think back about how the Aboriginal people were treated, sometimes I feel really bad.

The Aboriginals had a completely different way of life, and a completely different culture compared to what we have today. They will get their needs, food, medicine, and all kinds of things from the bush. They used fire-stick farming to make the land produce abundant food, and to limit bushfire danger. They lived in harmony with the land.

And, then the white people came. They hunted down the Aboriginal tribes, and had no respect, and didn't care for them at all. Even today, there have been so many fights and disputes about how we treat people with darker skin, or people who come from somewhere else.

How do we respond? Do we think back on this past and just feel bad? Do we try to pretend it didn't happen, because we were embarrassed about it? Or, do we learn from the past?

We don't have to let our lives be defined by the mistakes that have been made. If we take a look at Kevin Rudd's apology speech to the Aboriginals, and how we now have Sorry Day to remember the mistreatment of the Indigenous people, I think he's taken a step in the right direction - and we need to follow.

We don't need to dwell on the mistakes of the past. We need to learn from these mistakes, so that we can create a better future for all of us.

In his speech, Kevin Rudd says, 'The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia's history, by righting the wrongs of the past, and so moving forward with confidence to the future.' I think that this is a great challenge for all of us.

How can you change yourself for the better by learning from your past? What did you do this NAIDOC Week to help right the wrongs of the past? How can we acknowledge our past, learn from our past, and build a better future for all Australians?

I don't want you to think that I stand here as if I have all the answers. To be honest, I'm not that good at learning from the past myself. Last week, once more, I fell over and I broke my other arm. I may not have learned from the past last time, but this time, for sure.

[Applause]

TONY DAVEY: With massive thanks to Theodore, it's time to welcome our final speaker in the prepared speech section. And, that's Saanvi Kashyap, from Parramatta Public School. And, the subject of Saanvi's speech is 'It's Complicated.'

SAANVI KASHYAP: It's complicated. And, no, I'm not talking about my future Facebook status, which is sure to be 'Single and nerdy cat lady with a lot to prove.' Instead, I refer to it in context to the way we interpret cultural differences.

When I think of Australia, I see a 25 million piece puzzle. Every piece represents a unique individual, with it's own colours, stories and past. To me, this mosaic is beautiful. But, are we all looking at it the right way? I'm afraid not.

When it came to interpreting our differences, the cultural colour wheel, we're represented with 3 options - colorblindness, assimilation and multiculturalism.

Colorblindness represents ignoring the wheel. This never sounded right. Why remove my eyesight when I could view our world in all its glory.

Assimilation suggests making small cultures into mainstream cultures, like colour wheels spinning into pure blindness. But, having hundreds of Saanvis would simply slip into neutrality, and be really chaotic.

Multiculturalism encourages celebrating the wheel. Here's the tricky bit. I don't love multiculturalism either. Yes, I agree that it has helped us grow. However, it emphasises our differences, and is damaging.

That's why there's a revolutionary way, one that modernises multiculturalism by helping us celebrate all of our cultures. Yes, I'm talking about polyculturalism, the 'poly' accurately meaning 'many,' since none of us belong to one culture.

Often, I'm asked complicated things that question my perspective. One that troubles me is often voiced during global interactions concerning sports. 'What country Saanvi? India or Australia?'

I have always been a proud citizen of my first home, India. However, it does not have to be one or the other. I love living in Australia. Why do I have to choose and leave one behind?

This is where polyculturalism comes in. Rather than forcing cultural borders, like good old multiculturalism, polyculturalism says that cultures are not static, but fluid. It emphasises the connections between cultures, accurately stating that no culture is pure, and that all are influenced by others. Every individual makes their own culture - a mix of the traditions from the past and the customs of the present, making a culture for the future.

By following polyculturalism, you agree that you belong to many cultures, and your cultures belong to you. My understanding is you agree that you are-- [inaudible apology]

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: It's OK.

You agree that you follow multicultural and polyculturalism. But, you erase the irritating paradigm that you are multicultural.

American and Filipino studies show that polyculturalists are better at engaging constructively to people from different backgrounds, since they do not stereotype. Additionally, it brings out the better parts of multiculturalism. A win-win for everyone.

My family already follows aspects of polyculturalism, and have found it beneficial and educational. We have ventured into churches and Buddhist temples, journeyed to cuisines and art forms, and have found that we're all tied together by polycultures, and will continue to blossom into diverse and, dare I say it, positively multicultural and polycultural societies.

Here's the answer to the question stated earlier. I am a proud, first-generation "Indi-stralian" belonging to many cultures. I want to live between these cultures, because it is the best choice for me. I want my cultures to belong to me, rather than me belonging to a culture.

Does this make me less of an Aussie or less of an Indian? No. But it does make me a global citizen. So, is it complicated? Maybe a little, but only if you make it so.

Polyculturalism is dependent. Borne of multiculturalism, it works in conjunction with it. From Pandori pieces into Western dresses, it is everywhere. We simply need to embrace it.

Polyculturalism says to me that I am not limited to Aussie prawn on the barbie. It says that Korean barbecue is available too. So, this is me saying to you that it is not complicated - at least not as complicated as some Facebook statuses. People, if it's that complicated, then you need to break it off.

This applies to both situations. We need to break - annihilate - this toxic relationship with racism, and know that multiculturalism and polyculturalism are waiting with their statuses to get into a very positive relationship. So, once again, it is not complicated. It's not complicated.

[Applause]

TONY DAVEY: OK. So, now we're going to move on to the impromptu section of the day. The speakers will come back, one by one, and they're going to be given 5 minutes to write their impromptu speech. They're going to stay unmuted on camera the whole time, and they're not allowed to have anything written down before the preparation starts.

And, then they're going to give us a 2-minute speech. They'll get a warning light at 1 and a half minutes, another warning light at 2 minutes, and that warning light will turn red if they get to 2 and a half minutes. The topic that they're going to be speaking on is 'Keeping Busy.'

OLIVIA PILGRIM: Lately, we have been keeping busy with lots of other issues. Lately, our leaders have been keeping busy focusing on other things. But, what we should really be keeping busy on is our environment. There isn't a more pressing example of when and where we need to keep busy than now with our environment, because serious changes must be made.

Through Covid-19, our focus as communities has shifted from our environment. Even our leaders and the media are keeping busy, focusing on other issues that are 'more immediate,' like our health crisis, and our economic crisis, when our environment needs help.

This lack of focus has caused a serious threat to our waterways, seas and oceans, to our marine life, which are constantly choking on our plastic. And, it's caused more plastic pollution in our waterways.

And, I live next to the Hawkesbury River. I've seen this happening. And, I've got to say, it's disgraceful.

Did you know the equivalent of one garbage truck full of plastic fills our seas every minute? Recycling systems around the world are breaking down, and more than 129 billion face masks, and 69 million gloves, have been made - to just be thrown away into our waterways.

It is clear that we must be keeping busy on this problem. The solution to fix this problem is to keep busy focusing on it. As individuals, we should start campaigning around our local area, choose to recycle throughout our homes and community, and make smart choices about what we're buying, and what we're doing with the rubbish afterwards.

But, as a nation, we need our leaders to be keeping busy, focusing on what needs to change for our environment, so we can help benefit us. Keeping busy for our environment is important. Thank you.

[Applause]

CHLOE WORNER TOMLINSON: 'Keeping Busy.' We all need to keep busy - not just humans too. Also pets and animals.

I have 3 dogs and 1 cat. The one that gets in the most trouble, Midnight, is the one who gets bored and doesn't keep herself busy.

A week ago, she found a blue-tongued lizard. She was bored and really didn't know what to do. So, she decided to chase it. Very bad idea. She chased it into a scrap pile with some metal that was going to the dump, and got a cut.

But also, the blue-tongued lizard didn't come out of the situation well. It ended up dead. But, Midnight paid the price. She had to go to the vet because she didn't keep herself busy.

My other dog, Rafa, likes to sniff at me sometimes, which, when he isn't keeping himself busy, he sees those fuzzy flying things and decides they would make a good snack, even though they'd probably sting him. Once he did get one, but immediately spat it back out, because he thinks it's just a game, and it's just something to keep him busy.

The third dog, Lily, keeps herself busy, and doesn't snap at bees or chase lizards. She usually plays, or just finds out something to do on our own. And, she keeps herself out of trouble by keeping busy.

But, not only dogs - sheep do too. At our farm, sheep need to keep busy, because if they don't, they like to push over fences, or just try to escape the paddock, which just ends up as more nuisance for us. They also like to eat bark off trees, which is very confusing, considering that they have a lot of grass. But, we need to keep them busy, so they don't go bored.

Whenever I am not keeping myself busy, I'm usually bored. And, then I end up nagging Mum for something to do, but she says, find something to keep yourself busy.

But, then what can I do? Well, you can try and be creative, and try and keep yourself busy all the time if you really think you don't have a creative enough mind. Done.

[Applause]

JAYDA JOMMA: During online learning our teachers were sure keeping me busy with all the assignments we were getting, all the homework. And, everything on technology was totally confusing me. Even though it was hard, I kept going. I wasn't getting a break, but I still kept going. We had so much homework, we needed to catch up on, while keeping us busy.

But, there was a reason for keeping us busy at home. It was to prepare us for when we get back to school. But, why were we at home. Why were we Facetiming our friends to help with our questions, and not our teachers being there to support us?

It was because of Covid-19. It was a virus that broke out, and now surely is keeping all of the world busy - really, really busy. We all need to remember to social distance. We all have to wear masks. We will have to sanitise.

But, it was really connecting us, because we were all trying to find a vaccine. And, it was connecting us while keeping us busy, because all the scientists were all trying to figure out a vaccine.

Even though it was keeping us busy, a lot of bad stuff started happening. People were losing their jobs, people were passing away, and people were getting ill. But, with all those restrictions, people were getting a lot healthier, and many more people weren't dying by the flu.

We have to be prepared, and Covid might be here for a reason. It's teaching us a lesson that we need to be prepared. There might be a Covid-25 in the future, so we need to stay prepared, because we don't know what's going on for our future.

It is important to keep going, and keeping you busy is really useful. It makes sure you're not slacking off, and you've got to get back on the long run. You remember to stay strong, even though times might seem really stressful. But, keeping you busy will help you prepare you.

[Applause]

SUSANNA ROYAL: Our world is falling apart at our fingers. And, we yet, still don't do anything about it. So yes, we are going to have something big to keep us busy.

Venice, Italy. Colourful flowers hanging out of all the windows in the main streets. Crystal-clear water in all the canals, full of infinite sea life - that anywhere you look, you'll see a school of fish, or even a few starfish here and there.

But, I recently visited Venice, and what I heard is nothing like it was. There were no flowers hanging out of windows, no sea life to be seen at all in the canals, and there was definitely not crystal-clear water. It was definitely much more on the disgusting side.

And, every so often you would take a visit to the town square to get rid of your trash. But because they don't have cars or bikes or motor bikes in Venice, they use boats. And, they have a garbage boat. And, you would stand on the side and throw in your bag of trash on to the boat.

But, there was no one there catching the bags that missed the boat. So, they just drifted off down the canal. And, when the boat drove off, there was no one there. All the trash was flying out behind it.

This is happening all over the world, and Venice is just one example. Trees are being chopped down, and animals are losing their habitats, and more and more factories are being built all over the world, polluting our environment.

So, we have something to keep us busy, yet we still don't do it. And, we're wasting our money on things that make our Earth polluted, and are making it harder on ourselves.

Here's just one small gesture that us public people can do. There's a website called 4ocean, where you can buy merch from them. And, every piece of merch that you buy, they will take out a number of pounds of trash out of the ocean. I bought a bracelet from the 4ocean website, and they took out a whole pound of trash by hand.

We need to clean up our environment, because it's our Mother Nature, and how we live. And yes, we have something to keep busy for the rest of our lives, until we finish this job. Thank you. [Applause]

ELKE KALINSKI: This year's sure been a mess, and the first struggle to face that we haven't yet overcome is that of Covid-19. But in itself, while the government was busy stuffing us in our homes to keep us safe, it couldn't be the same for us, as the main struggle of lockdown sure was keeping busy in the midst of everything.

Why do we have to be keeping busy? Well, it got harder and harder as we ran out of things to do. I mean, when you're trapped in your home, there's only so much you can figure out. So slowly, as you might have seen over the internet, or in your own home, in your own mind, when you don't have something to keep you busy, all you can do is stay entertained. And, the easiest way to stay entertained is to go a little crazy.

So, what I'm trying to get at here is that keeping busy doesn't exactly mean keeping productive, or having something that's going to help you, or even just doing work in general, because being busy in our own minds is pretty much equal to being entertained, because if we aren't entertained for too long, well, we're going to be entertained anyway, because our mind's going to make us go a little crazy, and put a bit of fun into life, even if we think that's not necessarily being busy.

[Applause]

LILLY WATKINS: I'm sure a lot of you probably don't want to be busy. And, let's face it, I don't want to either. But, I think the best thing to do is to keep busy, and follow your moral compass to do the right thing. And, sometimes being busy is following your moral compass, and it doesn't matter how hard that is. You have to do it.

Once I was trying to decide whether to go outside and spend some really good time with my family, and have some fun riding my skateboard - do things like that - or I could have just stayed in my room on my phone. Now my heart told me stay in here. It will be fine. But, my moral compass said, 'Oh, come on, you have to go out. Your family are much more important.'

Now, I thought in my head, 'Hmm, my Mum told me always to follow my heart.' But, then I decided that I'm going to go outside, because my family are more important than my phone.

So, I went outside, and I realised I'm kept busier. It doesn't matter whether I like it or not, I'm kept busy. And, I'm making a lot of people happy by being busy. I'm making my family happy, my pets happy. And, everyone can actually spend time with me, because I followed my moral compass during this time.

So, you see what I mean? Sometimes you have to follow your moral compass, and it's going to keep you busy. And no, you're not always going to like it, but sometimes it's the best thing you've got to do. So remember, if you have 2 choices, and you want to do 1 that you think you need, but your moral compass is telling you to do the other, follow your moral compass. First of all, it will keep you busy, and second of all, you're going to make a lot of people happy.

[Applause]

ADHRIT MITRA: I remember moving to a different area few years ago with my family. I remember being quite upset, because I was moving away from my friends, and the park that was really near to my house, and I could go to every day.

I was very sad, but I knew that being sad wasn't going to solve anything. So, I started doing something else. And, I had a new hobby to keep myself busy, to distract myself from the sadness.

People think being busy is bad, and it means not doing lots of work. But, that's not necessarily true. Keeping yourself busy might mean distracting yourself from something that's sad. So, I started playing cricket. And, that meant that my parents had to take me to club games, where I played with my friends, and I started enjoying it.

Because everyone has had sad times in their life. It may be moving away, or losing a friend, or the sadness of a family member dying. And, the pain of a bad event doesn't go away. But, we learn to live with it. And, just sitting there and crying isn't going to help you.

But, if you instead adopt a new hobby, or something you like doing, then you can distract yourself from all the sadness. And, you may find out that you're actually really good at something. By keeping yourself busy, not only are you helping yourself not be sad, but you're also helping yourself discover new strategies, or new things you've never been good at. Like, if I hadn't have moved, I would have never discovered my talent in cricket, and I never would have realised that I enjoyed the sport so much.

So, the next time something bad happens to you, or something that makes you really sad, it's OK. I believe in you. It happens to everyone. But, remember to keep yourself busy, and you'll be all right.

[Applause]

NAOMI DIGHT: 'Keeping Busy.' Is it always good to have stuff going on, or should you take breaks every now and then? In my average week, I have dance class on a Thursday and a Saturday, and multiple music lessons during the week. But, I always have at least 3 days to chill out.

Loads of people might have things going on every day, which can interfere with their feelings. For example, if they're stressed about something, they have no time to stop and think about it. They always have something going on. So, it might build up and up until they're really overwhelmed. So, it's always good to have your own time to actually think about these things - or else you're going to be really stressed, and won't know what to do with yourself.

As much as keeping busy might be fun, if you're having fun all the time - for example, during a dance class - it's always good to have time to yourself.

Applause]

THEODORE HOLMES: 'Keeping Busy.' Have you ever gotten distracted? You might find yourself bored, with nothing to do. Maybe you're someone who gets distracted easily, and you can't keep yourself doing your work, and you get distracted.

During Covid, I'm sure we've all been feeling like this. We might be worried or anxious about this global pandemic. And, it's hard to keep yourself busy, because you get distracted.

For example, at school yesterday, I found it really hard to concentrate, because I knew that the State Finals for public speaking was on tomorrow, and I found myself really hard to keep going with my maths work, and paying attention to my teacher, because I was getting really worried and anxious about the State Finals. How would I go? Would I make myself a big fool of myself? So, I couldn't keep myself busy.

Well, what can we learn from this? Keeping busy can be hard when you're worried. However, keeping busy, it doesn't get you distracted when you're busy, because you're focused on something else - keeping yourself from thinking about all of these different problems, so you won't be worried about this.

It might be hard, like I said, but by doing it, it keeps yourself from being anxious and worried about what might happen in the future. Thank you.

[Applause]

SAANVI KASHYAP: Sometimes I annoy my parents and friends by constantly saying, 'I'm bored,' and, honestly, being pretty ungrateful. But, sometimes I think about my life, and feel so lucky and privileged. Currently, in places like Syria, a young 12-year-old girl like me probably wouldn't have the slightest bit of time to feel bored.

Her house - wait? What house? She doesn't have one anymore, does she?

Her plans for the future? Obliterated, just like her house had been that bleak morning.

And her shot at a good, successful life? A future? In the hands of people who don't even care about her.

At this point I think boredom often represents being ungrateful, and understanding that you're being so ungrateful is the very first step to being a better human being. To me, being bored signifies not caring, not understanding the very privileged life that everyone in this room currently has.

Are you starving? Do you have food on your plate every night at dinnertime? Do you have a family that loves you? Do you have people in your life that actually care about you?

Nobody who has things like this - nobody who has love and freedom in life - should ever feel bored, because boredom is simply not the way to go. Not now. Not ever.

Feel grateful for the life that we all have. Feel grateful for sitting down where you are right now. And please, don't feel bored, because trust me, people out there have it a lot harder than all of us do.

[Applause]

TONY DAVEY: Ladies and gentlemen, please now welcome back a representative of the adjudication panel, Elinor Stephenson, to deliver the adjudication, and announce the winner of the 2020 Years 5 and 6 State Final. Over to you, Ellie.

ELINOR STEPHENSON: So, congratulations to every speaker in what the panel thought was a really, really fantastic State Final of this competition. I know that I was not nearly as impressive a speaker when I was in primary school, and I think we were, all of us very, very struck by how clever you guys were, how confident you were, and what a great handle you had on some really big current issues, which you brought really mature analysis to, which I think we actually learned things from your speeches.

So, I just want to start by congratulating all speakers in this final for just such fantastic speeches, such confident delivery, and I think teaching everyone in the audience at least something in every speech.

So, I'm just going to start this adjudication with some general feedback, talking about some things which we think everyone did really well, but also maybe you could work on. And, then I'll let you know who's won.

So, to talk about some good things that all speakers did, which were across the board really fantastic. First up, as I mentioned in my introduction, every speaker had a really mature engagement with some big issues. You were able to link your ideas to current affairs that were happening in the news. You were able to have really complex analyses of those problems. And, they were across the board really mature, really creative, and really engaging.

The second thing which all speakers did really well was linking your personal experiences and thoughts and values to those big issues. So, a lot of the speeches that we saw in this final did a really clever and engaging job of talking about something they had experienced or encountered in their personal life, and then thinking about how that might apply on a bigger scale, and might actually tell us something about the really important problems in our society that they were discussing.

And, that's really great, because it allows us to relate to those problems. It allows us to engage our audiences. And, it helps us to kind of draw out conclusions about what we ourselves have experienced. So, congratulations to all the speakers on doing those really good things.

In terms of some things that we could all work on a little bit, I'm just going to start with one tip for your impromptu speeches. There were some great impromptu speeches in this final. But, one thing speakers should try to be aware of is just making sure that you've got a really nice, clear link to the topic, 'Keeping Busy', and thinking about how that idea can come through in your speech, and making sure that you've really given us something unique and interesting and clear to think about the idea of keeping busy. Because sometimes our impromptus can sort of stray away from the topic a little bit, or analyse it, but on a pretty shallow level. And so, just trying to get a little bit deeper, and digging down it, and thinking about that topic could be quite helpful.

The second thing is - and this goes for both impromptu and prepared speeches - you obviously all have lots of very, very fantastic ideas. But, some speeches did have a few too many ideas throughout their speech. And, while it's really good to show off all of your interesting knowledge and thoughts, it can sometimes stop you from fully unpacking and analysing those ideas.

And so, one tip we would give to a lot of the speakers today is to focus on one idea and one message that you want your audience to take away from your speech, and centre the way your speech is written around communicating that idea. And, that really helps you to make the most of all your clever analysis and general knowledge and ideas.

And, the final thing we would say is, when you're talking about these massive systemic issues which we really need to do something about, one thing that can really improve your analysis and just make it a little bit deeper, is to think about the 'why' behind those issues. Think about what sort of causes are there that are creating these big problems in our society. And, that can give you a hint about how you might go about fixing those things, and what tips you can give your audience about how we could start to address them.

So, with all of that feedback, congratulations once again to every speaker. But, now we're going to move on to who's actually won this final.

So, the speech that won this final - or, the speaker that won this final - their prepared speech was really confident, really well presented, and full of some great rhetoric. It had lots of examples, and it did a great job of doing that mature reflection on big ideas and racism in Australian society.

But, I think the thing which really stood out to the panel about this speaker was their impromptu speech. They had a truly amazing impromptu which talked about keeping busy in a clear, but a really big picture sense, and actually drew our attention to something which we wouldn't necessarily have thought about with regards to keeping busy, and also had very strong messages that they wanted us to take away from their impromptu speech.

So, I think from that summary, you can tell that it's a really great speaker, and the person who has won should be really, really proud of themselves. And, that is Olivia Pilgrim, from Kurrajong. Congratulations.

[Applause]

TONY DAVEY: Smashing work, Olivia. Yes, unmute and say something, so that we can remember who you are.

OLIVIA PILGRIM: I wasn't expecting that.

TONY DAVEY: Excellent. That's good. Undermine the adjudicator's decision. That's what they love. Please welcome the Speaking Competition's Officer, and member of the adjudication panel, Justine Clarke, to present-ish the trophy to Olivia Pilgrim.

JUSTINE CLARKE: Hi, everyone. That was a great privilege to be able to adjudicate today. I know it's a pity Patrick couldn't have signed in. But, that's a lucky eventuality for me, because I had the privilege of listening so closely to all of your speeches. And yeah, as Tony has already said, you were all brilliant today. If that's the standard that we expect from our Multicultural 5, 6 speakers, then the next few years are going to have to do amazing things to top that.

Congratulations, especially to Olivia. You will be receiving this lovely trophy with your name engraved on it very soon. And, as Tony said, all of you will receive medallions to your school. And Olivia, you'll receive a gold medallion on top of that one as well.

Thank you so much for letting me be a part of this. It's my first year as Speaking Competitions Officer, and what a great state final for me to start on this year. Congratulations to everybody, and a big thank you to Tony for all the organisation he has done this year. I think you all need to unmute and give him a big clap, because this is the biggest competition we have, and he organises the whole thing. So yay, Tony.

TONY DAVEY: Thank you, kindly. Finally, before I let you go, just thank once again the teachers, who this year didn't just help with public speaking and passing on all my messages, but are also like the camera men, and the IT people, and the camera women, and they're doing all the editing, and all of that kind of stuff.

A massive thanks to those teachers in those schools, because there's no version of this competition that goes ahead if they're not willing to say - 'So Covid happened, and suddenly my life is 3 times as busy, but maybe I'll just do this other thing on top of that that I don't really need to do,' probably because they like you, and vaguely care about you. So, a final congratulations, and I'll get you all to give a hand to the teachers who helped you out with this competition this year. Well done, guys.