Local students can take part in two upcoming competitions both landing a trip to Canberra to visit the Parliament House.
Winners of the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee competition is scheduled for students in years 3-8 in a national online competition.
Students will be given 30 random words from their reading level word list and will have 25 seconds to spell each word.
Exposing students to new words will expand their vocabularies and encourage them to continue reading.
Every student who competes will receive a Participation Certificate and national winners will win a return flight to Canberra to meet the Prime Minister, along with one night’s accommodation (and their parent/guardian).
There are also prizes for national runners-up, national finalist and state finalists.
Students in years 10-12 are invited to channel their inner Parliamentarian, by participating in the Speaker of the House of Representatives, My First Speech competition.
This national competition challenges students in years 10, 11 and 12 to envision themselves as newly elected Members of the House of Representatives and write a 90-second speech, focusing on a topic of their choosing.
The winning entrant from each year group, accompanied by a parent or guardian, will be flown to Canberra to deliver their speeches live at Parliament House and participate in an engaging program tailored to deepen their understanding of the legislative process.
Bruce Federal member MP Julian Hill says the competition actively engages students in the parliamentary process.
“This is a chance for students in our community to share the ideas and issues that matter to them, as our nation’s future leaders.
“For MPs – the first speech is a moment you never forget. It’s the moment to tell your story, share the issues that matter to you and your community.”
The submission deadline is 11.59pm AEST on Monday 15th September 2025.
To learn more about the competition and submit entries, students can visit the dedicated competition website: mfs.houseofrepresentatives.gov.au.
Registrations for Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee will close at 5:00pm AEST on Friday 22nd August 2025.
To learn more about the competition – teachers, parents and students can visit: www.spelling-bee.com.au.
