Year 10 Students Debate Emerging Technologies at Parliament House

What happens when students are asked to debate a question that governments around the world are still trying to answer?

Five Year 10 students recently represented Bialik at the 2026 Senior Schools’ State Parliamentary Convention, joining 70 students from 14 schools across Victoria in the Legislative Assembly at Parliament House.

The focus of the day was the regulation of facial recognition technology, a complex and evolving issue that sits at the intersection of innovation, privacy and public policy. Students heard from leading experts before exploring the ethical, legal and social implications of emerging technologies.

Throughout the convention, students participated in keynote presentations, Q&A sessions, mixed-school discussion groups and formal debates. Working alongside peers from a range of schools, they were challenged to think critically, listen carefully and articulate their perspectives on issues with no easy answers.

The experience provided a unique opportunity to engage with real-world challenges in an authentic parliamentary setting, developing the skills and confidence needed to contribute thoughtfully to important conversations about the future.

We congratulate our students on representing Bialik with insight, curiosity and maturity throughout the day.