VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: write a pursuasive speech on the topic…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 87.5%: Before you leave the house tonight, make sure your phone is charged. Walk the lit road, not the shortcut.…
Before you leave the house tonight, make sure your phone is charged. Walk the lit road, not the shortcut. Keep your keys between your fingers, just in case. Hood up, music off, eyes up. Text me when you get there and don't leave your drink alone. Wear something that covers you, you wouldn’t want to suggest anything, but not so long you'll trip if you have to run. Always scream fire, never help.
We don't hand this list to boys. We have never handed this list to boys. We give it to girls before they're old enough to understand why, and by the time they're old enough to ask, they've already memorised it. Nobody decided what to hand boys instead. The manosphere decided for us.
Over the last decade, an ecosystem of podcasts, forums and posts built itself around that gap, telling boys that women are objects for their entertainment, showing emotion is weak and for girls, and feminism is the reason they feel lost and can’t get a girlfriend. This is the manosphere, and it did not create misogyny, but it has industrialised it and turned something that once needed a search to find into something that finds our youngest generations first.
The manosphere is not a single website or a single man. It is a misogynistic, global subculture operating across platforms that UN Women describes as being, “characterised by anti-feminist, misogynistic viewpoints and the promotion of rigid, aggressive models of masculinity”. Andrew Tate is one such model. This ‘man’ has publicly stated that he is “absolutely a misogynist”, and posted a video stating his response to accusation of cheating by a woman would be to “bang out the machete, boom in her face, grip her up by the neck … and you go f her”. He is currently being charged with 10 criminal offences including assault, rape, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain. He has collectively ten million followers. Boys are still searching his name. This is who is raising our boys while we aren't looking.
When a culture repeatedly tells young boys that showing emotions and vulnerability is for girls, and men should toughen up and deal with it, it should not surprise us when those boys grow into men who respond to vulnerability with violence. Police recorded 40,087 reports of sexual assault in 2024, the highest number on record. But a separate ABS survey tells a more confronting story. 92% of women who'd experienced sexual assault never came forward. Thousands of Australian women trapped in a blanket of fear and silence, a silence the manosphere is built to justify. The manosphere didn't pull the trigger, these men did. What it did do was provide them with a loaded gun and spare bullets. Bullets aimed at women and the very movement fighting for their rights.
Feminism is not a textbook definition, it is the apparently radical belief that the girl walking home tonight deserves to do so without a list of rules. The idea that women are people and not vessels for someone else’s dinner, children and desires. Yet these forums, podcasts and ‘male advocates’ have twisted this word to fit their own misogynistic views. The manosphere didn't just discredit feminism, it took a word that once described the idea that women deserve the same treatment, opportunities and freedoms as men, instead rebuilding it into a threat aimed at men.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: How does Sophocles show leadership is flawed?
VCE Text Response essay scoring 70%: The classic Greek Oedipus the King depicts the governing system of the Thebes as problematic. Set against the…
The classic Greek Oedipus the King depicts the governing system of the Thebes as problematic. Set against the plague stricken Thebes, Oedipus, as the king of the state, initially attempts to handle the crisis; his effort, however, raises more questions about his background and legitimacy as ruler, eventually leading to his downfall. Through the play, Sophocles not only depicts the Thebe’s ruling system as problematic through Oedipus’ absolute power and lack of recognition from the god. Opening with the scene in which Oedipus is being worshipped by the masses due to their desperation towards the disaster, Sophocles also implies the flaw of the Thebans for their dependence on other people. Written in 428 BCE Athens, a state known for its democracy politics. At the same time, the state has been under Pericles’ rule for decades with cults developed around him. Through the tragedy, Sophocles aims to make his Athenian audience realise the fact that their leadership has been developed beyond the system the state relied on and hence calling for restoration.
Through Oedipus’ interaction with other characters, Sophocles reveals the flaw of letting leaders hold absolute power that could lead to paranoia. For example, over his agon with Creon when accusing him for plotting against him. Despite Creon’s appeal to logical thinking, Oedipus persists in his own judgement as when “[his] enemy moves against [him] quickly, [he] must move[s] quickly too, [he] must.” Through the use of repetition of the word “must”, Sophocles highlights Oedipus’ determination to act as he believes he is racing against time for maintaining his throne. As a leader with absolute power, Oedipus’ position often provokes people’s jealousy, making it at risk of taking over by others. This, however, develops Oedipus’ paranoia and his persecution on innocent people. As Oedipus is being questioned “what if [he] is wholly wrong”, he simply responds that “No matter, [he] must rule.” Through Oedipus’ authoritative tone, Sophocles illustrates the tyrant features that are present on Oedipus. His immediate response “no matter” indicates his dismissal of his duty. His insistence on maintaining his position as ruler implies his addiction to power due to his resolution of safeguarding it under any conditions. Back in the 4th century BCE in Athens, the political system was designed to ensure power was shared by every citizen. By depicting Oedipus as a tyrant, Sophocles explains the fact that power without separation would inevitably develop into tyranny driven by both fear and addiction by the ruler. While creating catharsis, Sophocles suggests to his Athenian audience to cherish their democracy. Hence, The leadership of the Thebes is presented as problematic for its authoritative feature.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: On the text : Lady Audley secret ·…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 65%: After 120 days in the belly of Queen Victoria Meabh had arrived in the new colony of Austlain. She couldn't…
After 120 days in the belly of Queen Victoria Meabh had arrived in the new colony of Austlain. She couldn't help but resent the flat dry land which yielded no resemblance to the green hills of Ireland to which held a fierce native fondness for.
As her poor mother had fallen ill and died, her father was a victim of the illness some years prior, Maebhe had set out to find work , where it was abundant. In Australia.
And so with tearful goodbye to her young siblings, Meabh Kelly had endured the 120 at sea. At night the hands of men groped through the darkness and in the day seawater soaked your cracked lips as disease clung to the sctuttling rats.
Not one week after arriving in the port of Sydyney Meabh had traveled to a newly established settlement where she had been assigned as one of the house servants of the local doctor.
A cab had been arranged to take her from Sydney port to her new master residence. Dr.Allbones was a recent resident of the town of Caldwell where his house functioned as both clinic and home to him and his young wife.
When Meabh had arrived she was surprised to see Mrs. Allbones herself awaiting her by the door step. “Goodevening Meabh, welcome to Cadwell!”. Meabh had taken immediate notice of Mrs. Allbones femmine nature. Mrs. Allbones didnt speak as such but cooed in sweet tones. Her saccharine voice could put the most diligent soldier to rest.
“I'm glad you have come” whispered Ms. Allbones in her gentle tone “it's hard to get people willing to leave the city and come to Cadwall”.
Mrs. Allbones prattled continuously as she showed Meabh about the rooms as if there was no partitioning between her thoughts and voice.
The house was a grand and new residence which had been styled in that new colonial way and was in the center of town among the shopfronts. On the first floor were rooms used to see patients as well as the kitchen and palour. On the second story The west wing of the building's second floor was Dr. Allbones rooms, dining room and study while the east was the servants quarters. No nursery, Maebh had noticed. How uncommon for such young newlyweds!
Mrs. Allbones was different to all other doctors wife Meabh had known. She lacks the churlish smirk and dismissive glance that those women possessed.
Ms. Allbone was casual with all her servants, and flirted freely, although not intentionally. She acted in a way which made Meabh had wondered what Ms. Allbones had been before she had become a doctor's wife.
Meabh was gracious of Mrs. Allbones liberality. Mrs. Allbone was as precious within her treatment of maebh as she was in her appearance.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Power is a burden not a privilege. Is this…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Sophocles’ Oedipus the King consistently revealed the harsh brutalities that come with power throughout the play,…
Sophocles’ Oedipus the King consistently revealed the harsh brutalities that come with power throughout the play, but also the benefits and privileges of members with great power experience. Power creates responsibility and commitments that some are not capable of, and it can also create status which blinds people from realising their fate. However, the status it does come with creates a hierarchy system where members worship individuals with great power, acting as an ideal lifestyle and a great privilege.
Oedipus the King consistently epitomised the responsibility of being an individual with greater power, and the pressure that is created as a result. At the start of the play when the priests ‘prayed to [him]’ (Oedipus) to save a barren Thebes, it immediately demonstrated the pressures that came with the king's status. Sophocles uses the plague as an example to demonstrate the difficult task ahead, which to highlights the hardships that come with power, and the never-ending issues arising. To further evaluate the responsibility, they believed ‘he cannot equal the gods’, illustrating the task at hand was something only the gods could fix, but instead the pressure was poured on himself. This conveyed the message that the citizens of Thebes could not directly interact with the gods they worshipped, and as a result relied on Oedipus as the next best resort, creating immense workloads on Oedipus as he had to supposedly bear the weight of divine expectation. Furthermore, the flaw of power was that one had to stay true to their commitments. When Oedipus commanded that Laius’s killer would ‘be banished from Thebes’, it created a promise to the public that the murderer would be gone, and the city would heal from the plague according to the prophets of Apollo. Ironically, the anagnorisis revealing Oedipus himself was the killer resulted in self-banishment with Creon’s command, and this was the final step in his downfall. Ultimately, Sophocles epitomised the harsh brutalities that came with power, through the tragic circumstances of Oedipus.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: This is for the Presenting Argument SAC. I…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 87.5%: "Australian Society is united through our shared values" That is the official line from the department of home…
"Australian Society is united through our shared values"
That is the official line from the department of home affairs. But, if we look at the history of our country - a graveyard of discarded values ranging from the White Australia Policy to the Stolen Generations, it's clear that these values are just a semantic vacuum. They aren't a foundation for unity; they are a rhetorical shell which the powerful fill with whatever meaning is politically convenient.
If a set of values can be completely inverted in a single lifetime, why should we believe that today's values unite us, and are here to stay?
Let's take a moment to examine a few of the "values" that we share. They include "mateship", "a fair go for all" "mutual respect" and "respect for the law".
But, my question to you is, when did these values become Australian?
When the Eastern States of Australia were ravaged by floods, 27 people lost their lives, and over 20,000 homes were flooded. According to Bill Shorten, this is where he saw what "he loves most about this country - Australian spirit". Mr Shorten claims that Aussies were doing everything to help their neighbours. From "shovelling muck" to "providing a shoulder to cry on".
But, let's be real. Helping a neighbour, whose house is underwater isn't an Australian trait. It's just a human one.
Do we really think that when disaster strikes nations around the world, people just stand around without helping each other because they don't have 'Australian Spirit'?
When a Tsunami hit Japan, we saw a nation of volunteers working in silence to rebuild.
Helping a neighbour isn't 'Australian Spirit', it's Human spirit
We are taking a global baseline and trying to claim it as a local invention. If our 'values' are just generic requirements for being a good person, then the term 'Australian Values' becomes a semantic void. It's a title that sounds like a foundation, but holds no specific meaning.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: ARGUMENT ANALYSIS TEXT 2 Putting…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 85%: Following the Minns government’s trial to remove shark nets from Sydney beaches, Rachel Merton MLC published…
Following the Minns government’s trial to remove shark nets from Sydney beaches, Rachel Merton MLC published the opinion piece “Putting people before sharks a net gain for all” in The Daily Telegraph on 29 July 2025. As a Liberal member of NSW parliament, Merton writes from a political perspective and strongly criticises the Labor government’s decision. Her piece is mainly directed towards NSW residents, beachgoers, local businesses and people who are concerned about beach safety. Merton contends that removing shark nets is irresponsible because it puts environmental concerns above human safety, and she argues that shark nets should remain in place until other alternatives can provide the same level of protection
Merton argues that the Minns government’s decision to trial the removal of shark nets is dangerous because it risks the safety of NSW beachgoers. She immediately describes the decision as a “reckless capitulation to green ideology”, using attacking and critical language to make the government appear weak and careless. The word “reckless” suggests that the government is not thinking properly about the consequences of its decision, while “capitulation” implies that Labor has surrendered to environmental pressure rather than standing up for ordinary citizens. This creates an angry and serious tone, encouraging the audience to feel that the government has betrayed beachgoers. Merton further states that the government is “gambling with lives”, which positions the removal of shark nets as a life or death issue rather than just an environmental policy. By using this fear-based language, Merton pushes NSW residents to believe that keeping shark nets is necessary to protect families, swimmers and children. Therefore, Merton develops her contention that removing shark nets is irresponsible because it places citizens in danger
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: Personal Journeys
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 72.5%: How would you define yourself? Chinese? Australian? Indian? Croatian? For many teenagers nationality…
How would you define yourself? Chinese? Australian? Indian? Croatian? For many teenagers nationality represents who they are. For me it used to be Argentinian and Chinese, but my identity is more than a language.
I was born and raised i n Buenos Aires and though I knew many people, and was in many groups, my favourite by far must’ve been table tennis. In table tennis I didn't need words — my paddle said everything. After training, I'll sit together with my Chinese and Argentinian friends eating empanadas and dumplings off a small table, laughing in two languages, proud of both. In Buenos Aires, being Chinese and Argentinian wasn't a contradiction. It was the best thing about me.
Though Argentina was a beautiful place- my beautiful home, it was also a broken one. Inflation, corruption, and safety issues led to deep disappointment. The final straw for my parents was when I was robbed at knife point on a night returning from table tennis training. It killed the last bit of hope for my parents. So we moved to Melbourne when I was twelve. We packed our languages, our recipes, our traditions and my paddle — everything that couldn't fit in a suitcase but came anyway — and with a grief that felt strangely like hope, we left Argentina behind. My parents were carrying the weight of our future even while knowing that they'd have to bear uncertainty, sacrifice and the risk of failure. Luckily Australia gave the stamp for our passports and I finally got the chance to live in Australia. I'd heard so many stories about it. Australia felt like another universe. It was stable, safe and most importantly, full of hope for the future.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: To what extent is Medea a play about the…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 90%: Euripides presents Jason’s hubris as the primary catalyst for tragedy, illustrating how his pursuit of 'social…
Euripides presents Jason’s hubris as the primary catalyst for tragedy, illustrating how his pursuit of 'social reputation' leads to a blind disregard for the 'sacred oath' that once bound his family. Throughout the events of the play, Jason attempts to justify his actions of betrayal as logical, arguing that it will ensure that his family would “live comfortably”. He uses pragmatic language to frame himself as a man focused on his family and their future, stating that the intention of his marriage was to “make [them] safe” and to “provide security for [their] family”. These words are an attempt to present his betrayal as a necessary action to benefit the safety of his family; however, Jason’s true desires lie within his overwhelming obsession with his own reputation and kleos, solidifying a glorious future for himself. Euripides constructs an agon between Medea and Jason, demonstrating the clash between the pride of the two characters. In this debate, Jason highlights his desire to
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: Multiculturalism is fundamental to our…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 75%: The onset of a number of anti-immigration protests in early 2025 has sparked debate about whether…
The onset of a number of anti-immigration protests in early 2025 has sparked debate about whether multiculturalism is a part of Australia’s identity. Dr Anne Aly’s opinion piece “Multiculturalism is fundamental to our Australian identity”, published on her official government ministerial website (16/10/2025), adopts a disappointed tone to argue that the singling out of Australia’s Indian community during these protests is saddening because multiculturalism is fundamental to the country’s identity. Targeting an audience who would be interested in the opinions of a progressive, multicultural politician, she seeks to express the meaningful contribution of migrants, specifically Indians, within our communities.
Aly opens by establishing a sense of shared values and a connection with her audience to display her own love and appreciation for the multiculturalism in this country. By highlighting that she was “dismayed” seeing the anti-immigration protests, she proudly expresses her disapproval of this behaviour to establish to the reader that she is a politician who they can trust and connect with because of her passion and support for diverse communities. Paired with her unshakeable mindset that Australia has an “inalienable right to belonging”, the author is attempting to showcase her fearless support for people of multicultural backgrounds, showing that she will not allow people to be told they do not belong. This is to build the audience's support for her, not only as the author of this article, but as a politician, because they’re encouraged to feel safe, supported and fairly represented by someone who holds similar values to theirs.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: It is vital to pursue knowledge in Oedipus…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Sophocles’ Oedipus the King portrays the importance of knowledge in ancient Greek society, but also the harsh…
Sophocles’ Oedipus the King portrays the importance of knowledge in ancient Greek society, but also the harsh realities and tragedies it can unveil. Knowledge was power, and was believed to be the solution to everything, and it also helped build up status for members creating a hierarchy system. However, some knowledge can be detrimental and best if locked away, as it can ruin people’s lives and completely change one’s perspective of their surroundings.
Through a dying, barren Thebes, Oedipus’s first thought was to send Creon to Delphi to obtain knowledge from the gods to save his beloved city. Oedipus wanted to know ‘what [He] might do or say to save our city’, showcasing his reliance on knowledge from prophets and gods to be the solution to stop the plague. The emphasis on the word ‘our’ was deployed by the Sophocles to showcase the city was everyone’s and not just Oedipus’s own. To the children and chorus addressed, this would create a treasure-like perspective on knowledge, and it was portrayed as the solution to save their city. Furthermore, knowledge is prioritised when Oedipus’s speech to find Laius’s killer takes a sudden shift in tone, when Oedipus claims the guilty ‘will escape the brunt of charge’, if surrendered. This statement was likely not true as Oedipus was a man of aggression, but obtaining the information about the murderer was so vital to him that he was willing to supposedly let the killer go free. Sophocles embedded this into his play to uproot the sheer importance of obtaining knowledge through mercy shown by a man who was an aggressor and had an extreme hubris. This further contributed to the idea that information from the gods was deemed to be the highest priority behind decision making in ancient Greek society, and the belief that the gods were always correct was evident throughout it. Ultimately, Sophocles’ play strongly epitomised the importance of obtaining knowledge, especially from the gods, as it was believed to be the solution to every problem.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: VCE persuasive oral - not part of…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 82.5%: "You need to learn to be bored." Growing up, it was my parents' favourite phrase. In fact, we still have this…
"You need to learn to be bored."
Growing up, it was my parents' favourite phrase. In fact, we still have this rule in my family, a rule I'm sure many of you have too: if we're at the dinner table, our phones must be switched off. As a child, I regarded this as torture. My parents were forcing me to endure what felt like every child's worst nightmare: boredom. Yet, what I didn't realise then was that my parents weren't punishing me, they were teaching me something essential.
With the rise of "iPad kids", we are watching attention, creativity and resilience diminish as children increasingly avoid boredom. As teenagers, we see them everywhere: toddlers clutching screens in prams, cafes and cars, during the most formative stage of their life. That’s why parents must stop allowing children to avoid boredom, as learning to tolerate it is essential for healthy development.
Firstly, constant digital stimulation has made children intolerant of boredom. Boredom is the uncomfortable feeling of low mental stimulation; one we instinctively try to escape. For today's children, that escape is only a swipe away. Every swipe on a device triggers the release of dopamine - the brain's feel-good chemical. Flooding a child’s mind with this artificial reward leads to what neuroscientists call the "dopamine-deficit state" – and if that sounds alarming, it's because it is. In this state, real life can no longer meet children's unnatural baseline of stimulation and boredom becomes harder to tolerate.
VCE · Creative Response
Creative Response: VCE persuasive oral - not part of…
VCE Creative Response essay scoring 82.5%: "You need to learn to be bored." Growing up, it was my parents' favourite phrase. In fact, we still have this…
"You need to learn to be bored."
Growing up, it was my parents' favourite phrase. In fact, we still have this rule in my family, a rule I'm sure many of you have too: if we're at the dinner table, our phones must be switched off. As a child, I regarded this as torture. My parents were forcing me to endure what felt like every child's worst nightmare: boredom. Yet, what I didn't realise then was that my parents weren't punishing me, they were teaching me something essential.
With the rise of "iPad kids", we are watching attention, creativity and resilience diminish as children increasingly avoid boredom. As teenagers, we see them everywhere: toddlers clutching screens in prams, cafes and cars, during the most formative stage of their life. That’s why parents must stop allowing children to avoid boredom, as learning to tolerate it is essential for healthy development.
Firstly, constant digital stimulation has made children intolerant of boredom. Boredom is the uncomfortable feeling of low mental stimulation; one we instinctively try to escape. For today's children, that escape is only a swipe away. Every swipe on a device triggers the release of dopamine - the brain's feel-good chemical. Flooding a child’s mind with this artificial reward leads to what neuroscientists call the "dopamine-deficit state" – and if that sounds alarming, it's because it is. In this state, real life can no longer meet children's unnatural baseline of stimulation and boredom becomes harder to tolerate.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: 'You can trust me. I am ready to help ..'…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 85%: Sophocles's 430BC tragic play Oedipus The King explores the various influences that catalyse suffering,…
Sophocles's 430BC tragic play Oedipus The King explores the various influences that catalyse suffering, particularly societal responsibilities as a King. Sophocles further partially suggests that the emotional downfall is a result of strong desire. Oedipus The King is a play, created by Sophocles to act as a competitor in an Athenian play competition. Sophocles disolays strong emotive experiences through language and theatrical conventions. Thus aided by the passionate nature of the play, Sophocles explores the causes of Oedipus's emotional and physical downfall.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: oral presentation about gambling…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 97.5%: Intro Picture this. It's Friday night, the siren's about to go for the first bounce, and you're on the couch…
Intro
Picture this. It's Friday night, the siren's about to go for the first bounce, and you're on the couch with your mates. Before a single player's even touched the ball, you've already seen three ads telling you the odds, pushing a bonus bet, or promising money back if your team loses the first quarter. That is not an exaggeration. That is just what watching footy looks like in Australia right now.
Gambling ads have wormed their way into every part of our sporting culture, and the damage goes way beyond annoying. Australians lose more per person on gambling than any other country on Earth, over a thousand dollars per adult, every single year. And these companies are chasing people who can't even legally place a bet yet, which is most of us in this room. So, here's my position. Gambling advertising is a deliberate strategy built by an industry that profits off addiction, and it needs to be banned. Not paused. Not phased out. Banned.
Argument 1: Normalisation
My first point is this. Gambling ads have normalised betting so completely that for our generation, watching a match and having a bet feel like the exact same activity. Odds flash up mid-game, bookies' logos sit on our favourite jerseys, and ad breaks turn into betting infomercials with a bit of footy squeezed in between.
And it's working exactly how they want it to. The Australia Institute found almost one in three kids aged twelve to seventeen have already gambled. Think about that: one in every three children. That's especially alarming because it shows betting has become normalised through sport before young people are even old enough to gamble legally. The moment they turn eighteen, that figure jumps to one in two. Last year alone, more than 900,000 teenagers gambled. That's enough people to fill the MCG nine times over. Together, they lost an estimated $231 million.
This isn't just a statistical trend; it is a lived reality. Consider the experience of many young Australians, including a close friend of mine, who started with a "harmless" two-dollar bet on the footy back in Year 11, just for a laugh with the boys. Fast forward to now, and he reckons he can't watch a game properly unless he's got money on it. That's not him being weak-willed. That's exactly what years of gambling ads are built to do: tell him that having a bet means you belong.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: oral presentation about gambling…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 97.5%: Intro Picture this. It's Friday night, the siren's about to go for the first bounce, and you're on the couch…
Intro
Picture this. It's Friday night, the siren's about to go for the first bounce, and you're on the couch with your mates. Before a single player's even touched the ball, you've already seen three ads telling you the odds, pushing a bonus bet, or promising money back if your team loses the first quarter. That is not an exaggeration. That is just what watching footy looks like in Australia right now.
Gambling ads have wormed their way into every part of our sporting culture, and the damage goes way beyond annoying. Australians lose more per person on gambling than any other country on Earth, over a thousand dollars per adult, every single year. And these companies are chasing people who can't even legally place a bet yet, which is most of us in this room. So, here's my position. Gambling advertising is a deliberate strategy built by an industry that profits off addiction, and it needs to be banned. Not paused. Not phased out. Banned.
Argument 1: Normalisation
My first point is this. Gambling ads have normalised betting so completely that for our generation, watching a match and having a bet feel like the exact same activity. Odds flash up mid-game, bookies' logos sit on our favourite jerseys, and ad breaks turn into betting infomercials with a bit of footy squeezed in between.
And it's working exactly how they want it to. The Australia Institute found almost one in three kids aged twelve to seventeen have already gambled. Think about that: one in every three children. That's especially alarming because it shows betting has become normalised through sport before young people are even old enough to gamble legally. The moment they turn eighteen, that figure jumps to one in two. Last year alone, more than 900,000 teenagers gambled. That's enough people to fill the MCG nine times over. Together, they lost an estimated $231 million.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: oral presentation about gambling…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 92.5%: Intro Picture this. It's Friday night, the siren's about to go for the first bounce, and you're on the couch…
Intro
Picture this. It's Friday night, the siren's about to go for the first bounce, and you're on the couch with your mates. Before a single player's even touched the ball, you've already seen three ads telling you the odds, pushing a bonus bet, or promising money back if your team loses the first quarter. That is not an exaggeration. That is just what watching footy looks like in Australia right now.
Gambling ads have wormed their way into every part of our sporting culture, and the damage goes way beyond annoying. Australians lose more per person on gambling than any other country on Earth, over a thousand dollars per adult, every single year. And these companies are chasing people who can't even legally place a bet yet, which is most of us in this room. So, here's my position. Gambling advertising is a deliberate strategy built by an industry that profits off addiction, and it needs to be banned. Not paused. Not phased out. Banned.
Argument 1: Normalisation
My first point is this. Gambling ads have normalised betting so completely that for our generation, watching a match and having a bet feel like the exact same activity. Odds flash up mid-game, bookies' logos sit on our favourite jerseys, and ad breaks turn into betting infomercials with a bit of footy squeezed in between.
And it's working exactly how they want it to. The Australia Institute found almost one in three kids aged twelve to seventeen have already gambled. Think about that: one in every three children. That's especially alarming because it shows betting has become normalised through sport before young people are even old enough to gamble legally. The moment they turn eighteen, that figure jumps to one in two. Last year alone, more than 900,000 teenagers gambled. That's enough people to fill the MCG nine times over. Together, they lost an estimated $231 million.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: oral presentation about gambling…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 87.5%: Intro Picture this. It's Friday night, the siren's about to go for the first bounce, and you're on the couch…
Intro
Picture this. It's Friday night, the siren's about to go for the first bounce, and you're on the couch with your mates. Before a single player's even touched the ball, you've already seen three ads telling you the odds, pushing a bonus bet, or promising money back if your team loses the first quarter. That is not an exaggeration. That is just what watching footy looks like in Australia right now.
Gambling ads have wormed their way into every part of our sporting culture, and the damage goes way beyond annoying. Australians lose more per person on gambling than any other country on Earth, over a thousand dollars per adult, every single year. And these companies are chasing people who can't even legally place a bet yet, which is most of us in this room. So, here's my position. Gambling advertising is a deliberate strategy built by an industry that profits off addiction, and it needs to be banned. Not paused. Not phased out. Banned.
Argument 1: Normalisation
My first point is this. Gambling ads have normalised betting so completely that for our generation, watching a match and having a bet feel like the exact same activity. Odds flash up mid-game, bookies' logos sit on our favourite jerseys, and ad breaks turn into betting infomercials with a bit of footy squeezed in between.
And it's working exactly how they want it to. The Australia Institute found almost one in three kids aged twelve to seventeen have already gambled, a number that jumps to half the moment they turn eighteen, a statistic that is especially alarming because sport is one of the main ways young Australians are repeatedly exposed to betting promotions, normalising gambling long before it is legal. Over 900,000 teenagers gambled in the past year alone, enough people to fill the MCG nine times over, spending an estimated $231 million between them.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: oral presentation about gambling…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 90%: Intro Picture this. It's Friday night, the siren's about to go for the first bounce, and you're on the couch…
Intro
Picture this. It's Friday night, the siren's about to go for the first bounce, and you're on the couch with your mates. Before a single player's even touched the ball, you've already seen three ads telling you the odds, pushing a bonus bet, or promising money back if your team loses the first quarter. That is not an exaggeration. That is just what watching footy looks like in Australia right now.
Gambling ads have wormed their way into every part of our sporting culture, and the damage goes way beyond annoying. Australians lose more per person on gambling than any other country on Earth, over a thousand dollars per adult, every single year. And these companies are chasing people who can't even legally place a bet yet, which is most of us in this room. So, here's my position. Gambling advertising is a deliberate strategy built by an industry that profits off addiction, and it needs to be banned. Not paused. Not phased out. Banned.
Argument 1: Normalisation
My first point is this. Gambling ads have normalised betting so completely that for our generation, watching a match and having a bet feel like the exact same activity. Odds flash up mid game, bookies' logos sit on our favourite jerseys, and ad breaks turn into betting infomercials with a bit of footy squeezed in between.
And it's working exactly how they want it to. The Australia Institute found almost one in three kids aged twelve to seventeen have already gambled, a number that jumps to half the moment they turn eighteen. Over 900,000 teenagers gambled in the past year alone, enough people to fill the MCG nine times over, spending an estimated $231 million between them.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: Argument analysis
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 70%: As mental health concerns arise specifically amongst youth, the question is whether current interventions…
As mental health concerns arise specifically amongst youth, the question is whether current interventions towards youth mental health show any improvement. Dr Lucy Foulkes published an opinion piece on The Guardian, May 21, 2025, contending youth mental health programs show little improvements and carry negative implications, thus those who are genuinely struggling should be given priority. Dr Foulkes persuades readers in a measured and urgent tone to abandon universal lessons in favour of struggling teens support, and for policymakers and parents to push for a change in approach to further support the youth.
Lucy Foulkes opens her piece by presenting imagery of a child who is visibly struggling mentally, hanging his body by only a fence representing his mental state showing a call to help for children like him with mental health deteriorating. Foulkes utilises the picture to highlight the children who should be prioritised rather than teaching “en masse”, when mentally struggling kids can then benefit from the school mental health programs. She aims to engage parents by creating a sense of sympathy through her anecdote. Foulkes intends to inform parents that this rising issue applies to both their children and a school’s students. Subsequently, she reinforces her credibility by stating her profession as a psychologist. She presents herself as trustworthy and comprehensive, giving more reasons to the reader to listen to what she has to say. Through concession, Foulkes acknowledges how it is a seemingly solid approach in an unbiased tone, proving her argument as fairly constructed and well researched. Foulkes then debunks the false assumption rather than opening with criticism, intending to lower the reader’s guard to maintain their focus before she lays out the evidence backing her argument.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: Price: Greatest Country on earth,…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 70%: The recent final results of the vote for House of Representatives, where The Australian Labour Party, a…
The recent final results of the vote for House of Representatives, where The Australian Labour Party, a progressive party, beat the other parties by a landslide, has sparked debate about whether Australia is truly the greatest country on earth, as Angus Taylor claims. His opinion piece, “Price: Greatest Country on earth, Angus? Not if you live in Victoria,” published in the Herald Sun on the 20th of February, 2026, adopts a criticising tone to argue that Australia’s national pride is declining, and political leaders like Angus Taylor are boasting and bragging while the country is actually declining. Targeting an audience of traditional and conservative readers, the author intends to instill urgency about the decline of the country’s national pride and values.
Price opens by calling out Angus Taylor’s tendency to brag about Australia being the greatest country in the world, but ignoring that the country’s values are declining. He discusses Taylor’s eagerness to “snatch the leadership” from Sussan Ley, and “talk about immigration and shutting the door” on several groups of people and communities, but no actions regarding either of these claims is to be seen. The author is hinting at the ineffectiveness of Taylor in taking actions on the claims he makes, suggesting that it is now in the hands of the conservative audience, who truly do care about the country’s pride and traditions, to reintroduce the country’s values into everyday life, and show their pride in the country. Alongside questioning “are we brave enough to admit” that who is ‘an Aussie’ needs to be redefined and that the country needs to reconsider how many people, and who should live here, suggests that Taylor himself, needs to admit that these things need to be changed before he can claim that Australia is the greatest country on earth. This is done to instill urgency to act within the audience, and ensure that, unlike Taylor, they are actively working to ensure that the country’s pride and values are upheld.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: ‘The Haunting of Hill House is a novel…
VCE Text Response essay scoring 75%: Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel, ‘The Haunting of Hill House’, suggests that family life is oppressive and an…
Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel, ‘The Haunting of Hill House’, suggests that family life is oppressive and an environment where only superficial bonds are made. Jackson critiques how family life reduces women to servitude rather than valuing them as members of the unit and demonstrates how this can leave women with persistent trauma that affects their future life and capacity to function in society. However, the novel ultimately presents that the crux of the injustice in the novel lies within the patriarchal societal structures of 1950s America. Overall, Jackson conveys that the oppression of domesticity and society as a whole are totalising and inescapable.
Jackson depicts a domestic setting as a unit in which women are used for service, rather than one in which love and connection thrive. The fact that the “only person who [Eleanor] genuinely hated” was her sister, now that her mother was dead, reflects the lack of meaningful connection between Eleanor and the members of her nuclear family. The word “hate” connotes extreme disdain and contrasts the common perception that family life fosters love. Moreover, Theodora’s omission of her surname in her self-introduction as “just Theodora” reveals how she never felt a connection with her family and was easily able to cut them off. Her surname symbolises her ties with her family, so her ability to completely disregard it illustrates that a woman’s domestic setting does not allow women to form bonds of love or feel a sense of connection. Moreover, the lack of male presence in Eleanor’s household, which mirrors Jackson’s husband’s own aloofness, presents how the responsibilities and oppression of domestic life lie with the women, whereas the men are not confined and are free to do as they wish. Eleanor, “a woman of thirty” had spent her whole life living with a family, yet was still craving a sense of belonging upon coming to hill house. Her statement that she “[is] home”, reveals that she had never felt belonging at her real home despite having lived there for many years. Jackson crafts this sense of irony in which only after escaping from her childhood home is she able to experience a sense of home to emphasise the inability for family units to fulfill such purposes. Overall, Jackson critiques how a domestic setting oppressed women by burdening them with responsibilities whilst not gifting them any sense of belonging or purpose.
VCE · Text Response
Text Response: Is graffiti vandalism or art?
VCE Text Response essay scoring 60%: Good morning Glen Eira council members, residents, and community representatives. My name is Raghav, and I stand…
Good morning Glen Eira council members, residents, and community representatives. My name is Raghav, and I stand before you today as a young leader who cares deeply about the safety, pride, and future of our neighbourhood. We are here in Glen Eira — our home, our streets, our shared responsibility — and what happens to this place affects every one of us.
Graffiti is vandalism. It is not harmless. It is not creative expression. And it is certainly not “urban art” when it is sprayed across shopfronts, fences, playgrounds, train stations, and public property without permission. When someone marks a wall that does not belong to them, they are not expressing themselves — they are choosing to damage the very community that gives them a place to live. Every tag is a reminder that someone decided their voice mattered more than everyone else’s safety and pride.
In Glen Eira, graffiti is a constant battle. Council officers remove 70–90 incidents every single week, only for tags to reappear within hours. Residents in Glen Huntly, Carnegie, and Ormond report vandalism so often that they struggle to keep up with the rapid reoccurrences. Imagine waking up every morning wondering what part of your neighbourhood will be damaged next. This is not creativity — it is a cycle of destruction that drains hope from the people who call this place home.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: The cherrypicking of ‘Australian…
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 60%: Published on the progressive website of ‘Women’s Agenda’, on the 2nd of March, 2026, Angela Priestley’s opinion…
Published on the progressive website of ‘Women’s Agenda’, on the 2nd of March, 2026, Angela Priestley’s opinion piece, ‘The cherrypicking of ‘Australian Values’ to conveniently overlook equality, compassion and respect’ sternly exposes peoples tendency to ‘cherry-pick’ some core Australian values, while failing to mention other values that are also clearly listed in the australian values statement. The author exposes this behaviour in relation to recent political events, to an audience that would be progressive leaning and interested in the perspectives of women.
Priestly opens her opinion piece by mentioning the increasing tendency, in which people are picking and choosing Australian values that they want to support. Clearly making note of politicians recent tendency to “throw about” Australian values instills concern and distrust between political leader and the audience, raising the question of whether political leaders are trully supporting the values of this country, or whether they’re simply using certain values when it best serves their intentions. This is a strategic choice by the author to maintan the readers attention, as they become interested in exposing that politicians such as Angus Taylor are only promoting and speaking about values that they personally agree with, and leaving out the values that they do not care for.
VCE · Language Analysis
Language Analysis: THIS IS ORAL PRESENTATION
VCE Language Analysis essay scoring 97.5%: Madam Speaker [Smile Nod] As a member of this parliament, but also (small pause) a voter, tax payer and a…
Madam Speaker [Smile Nod]
As a member of this parliament, but also (small pause) a voter, tax payer and a citizen of this country ; I have the right to ask, which side does Australia actually take, not politically, (pause) legally.
The Magnitsky Law which commenced on 8th December 2021, is a targeted human rights (small pause) and anti-corruption legislation that empowers governments to impose extra-territorial sanctions - such as travel bans and asset freezes - on foreign individuals or entities responsible for grave human rights abuses or significant corruption.
Now [Raise voice] , We as a nation persistently claim to stand by the ‘rule-based-order’. But that so-called (small pause) ‘order’ [use two fingers to denote inverted commas] that we so happen to follow, appears to be an option menu on the war crimes we act against based on ‘who’ [use two fingers to denote inverted commas] committed it, rather than the crime itself.
Right now [Raise voice] , The International Criminal Court - The ICC - has recently issued arrest warrants 2026, for Israeli leaders over alleged war crimes and severe violations against humanity while the ICJ - The International Court of Justice - continue to consider allegations under the (very small pause) genocide convention. Arrest warrants are issued for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant for grave crimes against civilians, and Australia’s response, (small pause) well minimal. (small pause)
[Raise Voice] How exactly has our (point to yourself) nation responded to this situation. Well, Australia’s sanctions system appears to operate in a selective manner, or you can say…. (small pause) [face expression] ‘a political fashion’. Australia has placed target sanctions on ‘just’ two far right Israeli ministers by the names Ben Gvir and Smotrich for [enthusiasm] ‘inciting violence’. Meanwhile they sanction over 230 Iranian individuals, listed Iran’s revolutionary guard as a state sponsor of terrorism and expelled Iran’s ambassador. Let me tell you Madam (small pause), does this systemic favoritism not overthrow our moral values as a nation?
Now, I want to make it very clear [use hands with the gesture], many of those sanctions against the Iranian Regime are indeed justified due to their actions. But the favoritism, undeniable!. When Iran commits brutality, Australia responds swiftly and comprehensively with no problem. When Israel continues to commit several humanitarian war crimes, the response is cautious (small pause), minimal (small pause), delayed (small pause) and sometimes non-existent………. [say slowly to emphasise]
This issue doesn't just regard foreign policy, but legal integrity, and MY [point to yourself] (small pause) yours [point to them], and everyone's [move face outwards] taxes continue to fund this systemic erosion which actively corrodes our legal and moral values as a nation. (say slowly for structure (end to Intro/Hook)
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[5 second pause for structure (argument 1) ] [walk slightly to a different spot or turn around just to signal this is a next argument]
So ,what does this selective use of the Magnitsky law actually cause and impact us as a nation worldwide you may ask?
Well let's look at the purpose of law. The rule of law is a principle of democratic governance ensuring all individuals, institutions and the government themselves remain accountable to a set of principles. A key principle of a law is equality and fairness - in other words, everyone is treated under the same law regardless of their wealth, political power, or status. This ensures no one is above the law (use fingers to signal above), typically those in power and a higher hierarchy, ensuring everyone's rights are preserved.
So how [RAISE VOICE] could our nation possibly betray that, Madam? We tell everyone Australia follows the ‘rule based order’. But if the government can pick and choose when this law is applied based on ‘who’ did it, it's no longer a rule based order, but a PR-stunt.