Sixteen teams from different educational institutions participated in the inaugural Swinburne Debate Open that took place on campus on 19 and 20 October 2019. 
 
Swinburne’s Team 3 consisting of Ryan Yap Chen Yen and Syed Wahaj Qaisar emerged champions, with Ryan winning the Best Overall Debater Award. The motion of the Finals was This House believes that Hong Kong should secede from China.

The Debate Open was in the British Parliamentary (Worlds) Style format in which four teams of two debaters each debate in one room. The Finals saw SM Sains Kuching Utara debating as the Open Government team; SEGi College as the Opening Opposition; Swinburne Team 3 as the Closing Government and SMK Lutong 4 as the Closing Opposition.
 
Schools that took part included SM Sains Kuching Utara, SMK Lake, Bau, SMK Lutong, Miri and SMK Methodist, Sibu while SEGi College also participated.