The Monash Association of Debaters (MAD for short) is one of the most active and successful debating societies in Australasia.  Formed in 1961, at the beginning of Monash University’s life, MAD has grown along with the university, achieving recognition and excellence on par with Monash itself.  With around 350 members signed up for 2009, MAD is one of the world’s largest debating societies.  The club was founded with a strong belief in the value of debate as a tool for the exchanged of ideas and combating ignorance, which we continue to promote in the wider community through our involvement with and administration of Public Debates such as the Vice-Chancellor’s Public Debate and the Great Law Week Debate.

MAD has also developed a strong commitment to innovation that we apply to all of our initiatives.  We are proud to be the club that created the world’s only academic journal on debating, the Monash Debating Review; the only club to run a comprehensive international debating training program – the Monash Asia Tour – and the club that introduced affirmative action rules for its members before introducing them to the Australasian debating community.  We bring this same commitment to innovation to Monash Australs 2009.