Speech Competition | Robert Menzies Institute

Speech Competiton

“if truth is to emerge and in the long run be triumphant, the process of free debate, the untrammeled clash of opinion must go on”

– Robert Menzies

Outline

The Robert Menzies Institute Speech Competition is a program for secondary students in Australia to practice oratorical skills in a speech relating to the legacy of Australia’s longest-serving Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies. Robert Menzies was well-known for his powerful speeches, including the Jefferson Oration, delivered on US Independence Day at Monticello, Charlottesville, Virginia in 1963. Sir Robert Menzies spoke often of the importance of a good speech: “Aim at simple, clear speech, and if you aim at that and achieve it, you will find that this will make a very great difference right through your lives.”

Theme

“if truth is to emerge and in the long run be triumphant, the process of free debate, the untrammeled clash of opinion must go on” – Robert Menzies

How important is respectful debate to the health of a democracy?

Record a speech of between 5 – 7 minutes addressing the theme. You must refer to Robert Menzies’s involvement in advancing debate through his actions and policy.

Finalists will be selected and will be invited to deliver their speeches at a live event in August 2025.

The winning entrant will be invited to deliver their speech at our annual academic conference at The University of Melbourne on the 23rd of November 2025.

Download Free Speech Competition Poster

Grading and Judging:

Speeches will be judged on:

Preparation
Subject matter
Structure
Delivery
Students must provide a hardcopy of the speech and supporting notes to show their research and include a list of references.
The speech must engage directly with the theme and demonstrate strong argumentation with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
Students will be judged on their use of confident and appropriate language that is clear and audible to the listener.

Resources:

Located below are additional resources to assist in successfully delivering and writing speeches.

Tips for public speaking
Resources for speech structure

Judges:

Judges for the 2025 competition will be announced soon

Prizes:

The winner will receive a $400 voucher from Readings and $600 worth of books.

The winner will also be invited to deliver their speech at the Robert Menzies Institute Annual Conference in November 2025.

Privacy:

The Robert Menzies Institute values the privacy of all entrants. Written permission will be sought from the entrant and their guardian/s before any material is published or shared.

If you have any questions, please contact Matthew Allanby at schools@robertmenziesinstitute.org.au