Code of Conduct

Debaters will —

• treat the occasion, each other, and the adjudicators with respect;

• respect the rules of the competition, particularly relating to secret subject and advised subject preparation;  and

• accept the adjudicator’s decision.

Debaters will not —

• disrupt or distract from another debater’s speech or the adjudicator’s comments;

• use offensive language or behaviour;

• make denigrating comments on the basis of age, culture, gender, sexuality, disability, religion, family;  or

• harass their opponents or the adjudicator.

Adjudicators will —

• treat the outing in a formal and professional manner;

• limit their adjudications to 10 minutes, and make constructive comments to assist the debaters;  and

• be sensitive when commenting upon physical or physiological disabilities;

Adjudicators will not —

• allow bias or personal knowledge to influence their  decisions.

Teachers and the audience will —

• hear the speakers in reasonable silence;  and

• encourage and foster a spirit of fair play and good sport.

Teachers and the audience will not —

• harass debaters and adjudicators before, during or after the debate.

Coaches will —

• Conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times;

• Notify Regional Coordinators and the Schools Administrator of any possible conflict between their role as coach and their involvement in any DAV activity.

Coaches will not —

• Communicate with any DAV representative with the purpose of intimidating them or challenging them in the fulfilment of their role.

Participants will not —

• record any debate, in part or in whole, without ensuring that both participating schools have given prior, written consent for their teams' debates to be recorded, and without acquiring, prior to the commencement of the debate, the written consent of both participating teams, the adjudicator, and the Host School Coordinator.

• use mobile phones to make or receive calls or send text messages during a debate.