This week’s motion was based on the criminalization of marital infidelity, something that most people would think is absolutely beyond the pale. The motion stated: ‘This House believes that couples should be able to enter relationship contracts which make any future infidelity a state-enforced crime.’ So to win, the Opening Proposition of Jaden Chiu & Sourish Chanda had to prove that the status quo was so bad, so very bad, that such drastic measures were necessary. And the Closing Proposition of Dilara Gencer & Kazuki Fairbrother had to make it clear how the motion would actually make the world better: what is the ‘mechanism’ that links the motion to the supposed outcome, a better world? If the Opposition had the easier deal, the Opening Opposition of Chloe Yuen & Kylie Leung did more than enough to win, making a strong case of the damage that the motion would cause: relationships would be ruined and the main stake holder to lose out would be children in a world of fewer and fewer stable relationships. A fascinating debate, the key lesson being: if the motion is a big ask, then make as strong a case for it as possible!

 

Mr Ahern & Mr Murphy