AUSTRALASIAN PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM

ROLES OF THE SPEAKERS

The six speakers in an Australasian Parliamentary debate each have

different roles to play and adjudicators should take account of how
well a speaker fulfill his/her obligations.

The FIRST speakers establish the fundamentals of their team’s cases.

Affirmative Team Negative Team

First affirmative’s duties First negative’s duties
 Ddefines the motion of the  Pprovide a response to the

debate definition (accepts or

challenges the definition)
st
 Ppresents the affirmative’s  Rrebuts 1 affirmative,

theme line delivers a part of the

negative’s substantive case
 Ooutlines the affirmative’s  Ppresents the negative’s

team split theme line

 Ddelivers substantial  Ooutlines the negative’s

arguments (1st affirmative team split

part of the split)
 Pprovides a brief
summary/recap of the
speech
 Ddelivers substantial
arguments (1st negative’s
part of the split)
 Pprovides a brief
 summary/recap of the
speech

The SECOND speakers deal with the talk of the substantive argument.

Affirmative Team Negative Team

Second affirmative’s duties Second negative’s duties
st st
 Rrebuts the 1 negative  Rrebuts the 1 affirmative

major arguments major arguments

 Bbriefly restates in general  Bbriefly restates in general

terms the affirmative team’s terms the negative team’s

case case
 Ddelivers substantial  Ddelivers substantial

arguments (2nd affirmative’s arguments (2nd negative’s

part of the split). Most of part of the split)
the 2nd affirmative’s time
should be spent dealing with
new substantial
materials/arguments  Pprovides a brief summary

 Pprovides a brief summary

The THIRD speakers’ main duty is to rebut the opponent case.

Affirmative Team Negative Team

Third affirmative’s duties Third negative’s duties
 Rrebuts the points raised by  Rrebuts the points raised by

the first two negative all three affirmative

speakers. The 3rd affirmative speakers
is mainly entrusted with the  Rrebuilds team’s case

responding to the arguments (briefly reiterate theme line

 of the negative that were
not previously dealt with by
the first two affirmative
speakers. 3rd affirmative may
also reinforce rebuttal that
have already been stated by
the teammates
 Rrebuilds team’s case
 Ssummarizes the issues of
the debate
and first two speakers’
arguments)
 Iidentifies the points of
contention/the clash of the
debate
 Ssummarizes the issues of
the debate

The REPLY speakers give a recap of the debate and convincing biased
adjudication

Reply speakers’ duties

 Provide a summary or overview of the debate

 Identify the issues raised by both sides

 Provide a biased adjudication of the debate

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