Lalor Secondary College has been proudly hosting a Regional Local Schools Constitutional Convention in the Northern Region for the last thirteen years and will be hosting its fourteenth Local Schools Constitutional Convention this year.

Each year, staff and students have become more experienced at organising and managing this event. In 2017 the following neighbouring schools attended the event; Thomastown Secondary College, Northcote High School. Syrius College. Marymede Catholic College,  St Monica’s College and Lalor North Secondary College.

The program, in Australia, was first introduced in 1995 and in Victoria it is managed collaboratively by the Department of Education, the Catholic Education Office Melbourne, Independent Schools Victoria, Australian Electoral Commission and the Parliament of Victoria.

 The overall aim of the program is to increase young Australians’ knowledge about the Australian Constitution and the role it plays in our democracy. Other aims are to:

  • Provide students with opportunities to explore contemporary political and social issues;
  • Encourage students to become better informed about the Australian system of government and how the Australian Constitution provides the framework for our democracy;
  • Encourage senior students to take an active interest in the traditions, processes and practices of government;
  • Promote active citizenship, student representation and youth leadership.

Over the past fourteen years we have had many guest speakers from the legal, political and academic fields. A regular speaker and supporter of our Constitutional Conventions have been out State Member for Thomastown, Bronwyn Halfpenny and Federal Member for Scullin, Andrew Giles, as well as David Mould, Director of Second Strike.

The Regional Local Schools’ Constitutional Convention has engaged hundreds of students over the years. The program involves students attending subsequent State Conventions held at Parliament House Victoria and National Conventions held at Parliament House Canberra.

This program has fostered the awareness of current political, social and legal issues and encouraged student leadership amongst the student population.