Rules and How to apply

Make sure you read these rules carefully before entering the competition.

1. The National Australia Indonesia Language Awards (NAILA) competition is open to Australian citizens and permanent residents only.
2. The competition is open to second language speakers only.
3. Contestants do not need to be learning Indonesian formally.
4. Applicants may only enter one category per year.
5. Applicants may only win each category once.
6. This year’s theme is ‘Innovation’. It can be anything as simple as mobile devices to more complex subjects such as the artificial intelligence, production machines, or digital challenges.
7. In 2024, there are seven categories. Each has an age or level of study limitation:
   • Early Primary: open to students enrolled in grades K-3 in Australia.
   • Upper Primary: open to students enrolled in grades 4-6 in Australia.
   • Middle: open to students enrolled in grades 7-9 in Australia.
   • Senior: open to students enrolled in grades 10-12 in Australia.
   • Tertiary: open to students enrolled in an Australian university or TAFE, either undergraduate or postgraduate studies.
   • Executive: open to executive-level speakers aged 21 years and over; OR any teacher or lecturer of Indonesian at an Australian school, university or TAFE.
   • People's Choice: open to an individual making an original performance or presentation; OR a group of 2-4 Australians of any age, where each member contributes to speaking/performing in Indonesian.
8. Registration and proof of student status:
   • All Tertiary contestants must register using their relevant student ID.
   • This rule does not include any other category.
9. Shortlisted entries will move forward to be adjudicated by a panel of judges to determine the winning entries. The winners will then present a refined version of their speech to VIP guests and members of the NAILA community at the awards ceremony.
10. Participants must adhere to the following time limits:
    • Early Primary: 1 – 2 minutes.
    • Upper Primary: 2 – 3 minutes.
    • Middle: 3 – 4 minutes.
    • Senior: 4 – 5 minutes.
    • Tertiary: 5 – 6 minutes.
    • Executive: 5 – 7 minutes.
    • People's Choice: 4 – 6 minutes.
11. The ultimate placing of the competitor will be based on the aggregate of the rankings awarded by the adjudicators for that competitor.
12. The adjudicators’ decision is final.
13. Competitors must use their own, original content generated for this competition. Reference to other texts or direct quotation is allowed, but any speech must be substantially the work of the speaker.
14. If plagiarism is suspected, the competitor may be disqualified immediately from the NAILA competition.
15. Competitors may have reference to notes (either paper-based or digital) during their speech but should be aware that excessive reference to notes may result in a loss of marks. No use of notes is preferable.
16. There shall be no conferring with Judges during the contest (except with the express written consent of the NAILA committee).
17. No photography, videography or audio recording will be allowed during the awards ceremony (excluding official NAILA recording).
18. Applicants agree to the use of their video submission being included in a short film produced by NAILA, which will be distributed online, at no extra cost to NAILA. NAILA will use this footage responsibly and in accordance with its mandate as a not-for-profit seeking to improve the study of Indonesian in Australia.
19. NAILA may contact winners in the future for events or promotional material purposes which will be distributed either digitally or printed, at no extra cost to NAILA. NAILA will use this footage responsibly and in accordance with its mandate as a not-for-profit seeking to improve the study of Indonesian in Australia.
20. All noise-emitting electronic devices such as phones must be turned off during the awards ceremony.