Since 1995, the Queensland Department of Education has run a program of school constitutional conventions each year. The conventions educate senior secondary students about the Australian Constitution and how it guides our democracy. They involve students from all 3 sectors – state, Catholic and independent.
2023 Queensland Schools Constitutional Convention
Queensland's annual program of schools' constitutional conventions invites state, Catholic and independent schools to register a team of students from years 7 to 11 to investigate the constitutional issue – Constitutional Reform. Students will examine Section 128 of the Constitution and discuss if the requirements for alteration are still appropriate.
For 2023, participants will engage in the program via:
- an online statewide convention held through Canvas, which is accessible by all state and non-state schools, on
Thursday 27 July
- a face-to-face North Queensland convention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Townsville –
Thursday 3 August.
The program involves exploring resources about the Australian Constitution, engaging with keynote presentations and working in groups with students across all Queensland schools.
Who can register?
A school or teacher contact from a Queensland state, Catholic or independent secondary school may register their interest in the day. Students studying humanities and social science subjects in years 7 to 11 can draw on their learning to investigate an issue and contribute to the discussions throughout the day.
Additionally, schools will be encouraged to nominate 1 candidate from year 10 or 11 to present a 2–3 minute presentation addressing a constitutional issue at the Queensland Convention. All candidate presentations will be viewed and each school will cast their vote to elect delegates to represent Queensland in the National Schools Constitutional Convention held in 2024. All student delegates who attend the National Convention must be in year 11 or 12 in 2024.
Nomination information and registrations will be advertised to registered schools at the beginning of Term 2.
Registration
If you have any questions or enquiries, please email
P-12Framework@qed.qld.gov.au.
Queensland Schools Constitutional Convention – online event
Date: Thursday 27 July 2023
Registration closing date: Friday 23 June 2023
Register for the online convention.
Further information regarding pre-reading materials, programs and processes will be communicated to the nominated school contact.
If you have any questions or enquiries, please email P-12Framework@qed.qld.gov.au.
Queensland Schools Constitutional Convention – North Queensland – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander face-to-face event
Date: Thursday 3 August 2023
For registrations or further information, please email Joan McKay at
joan.mckay@qed.qld.gov.au.
Further information regarding pre-reading materials, programs and processes will be communicated to the nominated school contact.
This event is organised in partnership with
James Cook University, Townsville.
Queensland’s delegates to the 2023 National Schools Constitutional Convention
Participants attending Queensland's convention program elected a team of delegates to attend the 2023
National Schools Constitutional Convention. These delegates attend the following schools:
- Ambrose Treacy College
- Bremer State High School
- Bowen State High School
- Clifton State High School
- Coomera Anglican College
- Craigslea State High School
- Heatley Secondary College
- Kepnock State High School
- Marist College Ashgrove
- Pimlico State High School
- Queensland Academy for Health Sciences
- Ryan Catholic College
- Spinifex State College
- St James College
- St Margaret Mary’s College
- St Patricks College (2)
- St Rita’s College
- Tannum Sands State High School
- The Rockhampton Grammar School
- Thuringowa State High School
- Wavell State High School
- Yeronga State High School.
The 2023 National Schools Constitutional Convention will be held from Tuesday 21 March to Thursday 23 March 2023 at the Museum of Australian Democracy in Canberra.