New Zealand Schools’ Debating

Below is the timetable for Nationals 2010! If you are in Wellington next weekend, feel free to come and watch.

Friday 06 August

6:00 pm            Opening of the New Zealand Finals. Briefing for all teams.

6:30 pm            Limited preparation debate

Saturday 07 August

8:00 am            Breakfast at Rutherford House, Victoria University of Wellington, corner     of  Lambton Quay and Bunny S

8:30 am            Topic for Round 1 announced (one hour preparation).

           Theme: Privatisation

9:30 am            Round 1

11:00 am           Morning tea.

11:30 am           Topic for Round 2 announced (one hour preparation).

                        Theme: The European Union

12:30 pm           Round 2

1:45 pm            Lunch

2:30 pm            Topic for Round 3 announced (one hour preparation).

3:30 pm            Round 3

5:00 pm            Return to Ibis Hotel.

7:00 pm            Quiz and pizza night for competitors at Rutherford House.

9:30 pm            Competitors return to Ibis Hotel.

Sunday 08 August

8:30 am            Breakfast

9:00 am            Topic for Round 4 announced (one hour preparation).

10:00 am          Round 4

11:30 am           Lunch

12:30 pm          Topic for Round 5 announced (one hour preparation).

1:30 pm            Round 5.

3:00 pm            Semi-finalists announced, topic for semi-finals announced (one hour preparation).

4:00 pm            Semi-finals.

5:30 pm            Briefing for all teams. Sides for the Grand Final announced.

7:15 pm            Formal Dinner at Zibbibo Restaurant.

Monday 09 August

8.45am             Official photographs of all teams on the front steps of Parliament

10:00 am          GRAND FINAL at Legislative Council Chamber, Parliament Buildings.

11:30 am           Presentation of prizes.

12:00 pm          Morning Tea in the Grand Hall

NZSDC alumni have done spectacularly well at the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Champs which concluded yesterday at the University of Auckland. 100 teams took part in one of the most prestigious and largest debating tournaments in the world, and the final featured five speakers who have debated at the New Zealand National Champs (and one coach)! It was also the first all-New Zealand final that anyone can remember.

The winning team from Victoria University of Wellington was Stephen Whittington (Nationals 03/04), Udayan Mukherjee (Nationals 07) and Ella Edginton (Nationals 07). The runner-up team from the University of Auckland featured Stephanie Thompson (Nationals 07), Akif Malik (Nationals 2005) and Kathy Errington (Auckland Coach 09/10)

Another Victoria team also reached the semi-finals. Congratulations to Richard D’Ath (Nationals 06), Paul Smith (Nationals 07), and Seb Templeton (Wellington Coach 09) who were knocked out by the eventual champions.

It’s also worth noting that Stephen Whittington was the 2nd best speaker of the tournament and Seb Templeton was the 7th equal. Stephen also won the Jock Fanselow Cup for being the Best Speaker in the Grand Final.

Other NZSDC alumni to do well included Aria Newfield (Nationals 09), Josh Baxter (Nationals 09) and Gretta Schumacher (Nationals 08), Nupur Upadhyay (Nationals 08), Sam Bookman (Nationals 07), and Craig Riddell (Nationals 06) who all reached the octo-finals for Auckland University.