Salient

Debater Darts to Victory

By Nicola Kean | 2 Oct, 2006

A speech about the world acting together to solve future problems won the Plunket Medal Oratory Competition last week.

Joe Connell, a member of the Vic Debating Society, took out the prize with his speech called “Dart”, describing how the world map was like a dart board in terms of what circumstances people are born into.

Connell was awarded the historic Plunket medal and will have his name inscribed on an honours board in the Hunter Building.

Organiser James Clark says the contest was “really competitive”, with four entrants all of high quality. However, judge John Bishop felt that Connell’s speech stood out in the passion it conveyed to the audience.

The annual competition, which has been running since 1905, is described by Clark as “steeped in honour and tradition”. Run by the Debating Society, entrants have to give a ten minute speech on a topic they are passionate about, without the aid of notes.