Year 10 Commerce Students Debate Raising The Age Of Criminal Responsibility

The Year 10 Commerce classes have recently engaged in a mock parliament debate to consolidate their learning of the topic, ‘Law, Society and Political Involvement’.

The students were asked to prepare arguments for a proposed amendment to raise the age of criminal responsibility in Australia, from 10 to 14. This is currently a real debate taking place amongst our politicians so the students were able to research a real world issue. The students will explore this further this term.

As part of the mock parliament students took on different roles such as the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Minsters, backbenchers, independents and other roles which make up a functioning parliament such as the Serjeant-at-Arms, Speaker, Clerk and media.

Year 10 students Karina H. and Yvanna C., in Ms Nicolson’s class, took on the role of journalists and in addition to providing live updates on the Google Classroom during the debate have also written the below report:

Late last term Mrs Nicolson’s Year 10 Commerce class held a mock parliament debate on a proposed amendment to raising the age of criminal responsibility in Australia. The class was divided into the government, opposition and independents, with students taking specific positions to debate the proposed amendment by setting the classroom up as the House of Representatives.

Students were very engaged in this activity as they took on their roles to highlight the significance of the issue and conduct research from credible sources to support their arguments. This mock parliament debate allowed the students to explore the real-life importance of governments and debates in shaping laws that govern our lives.

Each argument that was presented emphasised the importance of the legal system in ensuring a fair process for everyone involved. The discussions highlighted how the decisions made in parliament can have meaningful effects on an individual's future and the community's safety and wellbeing. After many voices spoke up in the classroom, and different arguments were made from both sides, a vote was done and the class decided to raise the age! The “ayes” had it!

At the conclusion of the debate, the students were asked to post their reflections on why young people need to be involved in political decision making:

“It is crucial for young people to pay attention to the laws as they directly impact our lives and the future set out for us. By understanding these changes, we can advocate for what we want our future and future generations to look like, ensuring our voices are heard. Getting involved can be as simple as participating in community discussions, joining youth councils, or leveraging social media platforms to raise awareness and push for change.” Kruti P.

“It's important young people pay attention to laws or laws that are being changed as they directly impact their lives as well as their futures. Engaging with legal matters empowers them to advocate for their rights and ensures that their voices are heard in shaping policies that reflect their needs.” Olivia E.N.

“The youth of today will eventually have the power to voice their opinions and vote for change in our government, so it is crucial that they remain educated and aware of the laws that will impact their futures.” Mary T.