From the world's oldest continuous living culture, to the arrival of Captain Cook, the goldrush to the ANZACs, from Federation to elections to referendums, and beyond, our understanding of Australian history has evolved dramatically over recent years. Six esteemed scholars have six minutes each to wrestle with how our past unites, divides, and defines us. Who will win?The Great Debate was recorded for Social Sciences Week with the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and the National Library of Australia.SpeakersAffirmative team<a href="https://www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/media/media-releases/2025/november/uc-launches-newly-established-vice-chancellors-centre-of-public-ideas-and-appointment-of-inaugural-director">Frank Bongiorno</a>Professor of historyDirector of the University of Canberra's Centre of Public IdeasAuthor, Dreamers and Schemers: A Political History of Australia and more<a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/arts/about/our-people/academic-staff/jakelin-troy.html">Jakelin Troy</a>Ngarigu woman from the Snowy Mountains of NSWProfessor of AnthropologyDirector of Indigenous Research at the University of Sydney<a href="https://www.robertmenziesinstitute.org.au/about/people/">Georgina Downer</a>CEO of the Robert Menzies Institute, University of MelbourneNegative team<a href="https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/persons/michelle-arrow/">Michelle Arrow</a>Professor of modern history, Macquarie UniversityPresident of the Australian Historical AssociationAuthor, Women and Whitlam: Revisiting the Revolution and more<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vonda-malone-706b21112/?originalSubdomain=au">Vonda Malone</a>Former member of the Queensland Truth Telling and Healing InquiryFormer CEO of the Torres Strait Regional AuthorityFirst female Mayor of the Torres Shire Council<a href="https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/19920-dan-woodman">Dan Woodman</a>Professor in Sociology at the University of MelbourneJudges<a href="https://richardholden.org/">Richard Holden</a>Professor of Economics, University of NSWFormer school debating champion<a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/chris-uhlmann">Chris Uhlmann</a>Political contributor, Sky News, columnist, The Australian<a href="https://socialsciences.org.au/president/">Kate Darian-Smith</a>President of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia

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