Terrigal High School's Abby Peterson-Hampshire has won the 2026 Plain English Speaking Award State Final, delivering a powerful speech that dissected the debt traps hidden inside buy now, pay later services.

Comprehensive public-school students did public education proud in the competition, with Misk Hassan of Birrong Girls High School also performing very well and being given special mention by the adjudication panel.

It was a remarkable effort given the other four students in the competition went to non-government schools.

Abby, in Year 11, said the competition had been a standout opportunity throughout her schooling, crediting a primary school debating coach who took her team all the way to a state final in Year 5.

"He was really committed to it," she said. "From that, I've been doing it ever since".

Abby, whose eight-minute prepared speech “Buy now, pay later” won over the judges, felt that competitions like Plain English brought out something distinctive in public school students.

"I think regional and public-school kids bring a different, more engaging perspective that you don't always see in the very polished schools," she said. "There's a huge value to that".

In the impromptu round, contestants were given three minutes to prepare a speech on "A tough act to follow".

Abby used this speech to draw a line between the rise of "looks maxing" culture among young men, and the scrutiny women have long faced over appearance.

Sitting on the judging panel was Olivia Wright, last year's state winner and a Hurlstone Agricultural High School alumnus, who went on to win the national title and represented Australia at the International Final in London last week where she reached the grand final.

Abby described Olivia as a role model. "I'm very lucky that she's able to give me a bit of guidance," she said, calling her mentor's achievement in London "crazy" and inspiring.

Olivia said stepping into the judge's chair was a strange shift after competing herself only months earlier.

"With great power comes great responsibility," she said, before praising the standard of this year's field.

"They were just an incredible bunch of six speakers and the public-school representation this year was great to see".

Olivia, who identifies as Aboriginal, is now studying law and criminology at the Australian National University, said she used her London semi-final speech to explore inequality in who got to succeed.

Abby, who hopes to study medicine, said the skills she had built through speaking and debating would carry into whatever career she pursued.

"Combining those two things - the sciences and public speaking - as a career is quite important to me," she said.

The Plain English Speaking Award was first run in 1977 and has operated nationally since 1978, aiming to encourage clear, effective spoken English. Abby now heads to the national final, held online in September.