New Zealand Schools’ Debating



The New Zealand Schools’ Debating Council (Te Kaunihera Tautohetohe ā-Kura o Aotearoa) Is A Non-Profit Organisation Proudly Sponsored by Russell McVeagh.

Archive for the 'Worlds' Category

New Zealand win Round Two

This afternoon Nick, Maria and Jasmin beat Estonia by 3-0, opposing the motion “This House supports compulsory physical education in schools”.

New Zealand is therefore on two wins and six from six judges.

Tomorrow morning Josh, Aria and Jasmin take on Romania, proposing “That all nations have a right to nuclear weapons”. In the afternoon the team is against the United States on an impromptu motion.

6 comments

Round One Results

New Zealand won against Slovakia in a 3-0 decision, affirming the motion “That we should support military intervention in Somalia”. Josh, Maria and Aria debated.

1 comment

NZ Squad arrives in Doha

The 2010 Russell McVeagh New Zealand Schools’ Debating Team, along with New Zealand’s adjudicators and supporters, have arrived in Doha. The tournament kicks off tonight with a formal dinner.

Tomorrow is dedicated to adjudicator training while the teams tour Doha.

Rounds 1 and 2 are on Wednesday February 10. In R1 New Zealand are against Estonia on a prepared motion, proposing “That we should support military intervention in Somalia”. In R2 New Zealand are negating against Slovakia on an impromptu topic.

Doha is ten hours behind New Zealand. We expect round 1 will finish around 10pm New Zealand time on that day. Round 2 will finish around 4pm, which is around 2am NZ time the following day (Thursday).

No comments

New Zealand Team off to World Champs

The Russell McVeagh New Zealand Schools Debating Team leaves on Friday for the 2010 World Schools’ Debating Champs in Doha, Qatar.

New Zealand is the reigning World Schools Debating Champions after winning the title in Athens, Greece, last February.

The team consists of Maria English (Captain, Samuel Marsden Collegiate School), Nick Cross (Scots College), Aria Newfield (St Cuthbert’s College), Josh Baxter (Auckland Grammar School) and Jasmin Moran (Chilton St James School).

The team is coached by Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna and will be accompanied by adjudicators Kevin Moar, Christopher Bishop, Claire Ryan, and Rosemary Dixon.

The draw for the tournament was released yesterday:

Round 1 (prepared): “That we should support military intervention in Somalia”
New Zealand v Slovakia

Round 2 (impromptu)
Estonia v New Zealand

Round 3 (prepared): “That every country should have the right to possess nuclear weapons”
New Zealand v Romania

Round 4 (impromptu)
United States v New Zealand

Round 5 (prepared): “That doctors should report evidence of marital abuse to the police”
United Arab Emirates v New Zealand

Round 6 (impromptu)
New Zealand v Israel

Round 7 (prepared): “That terrorist suspects should have a right to a trial in civilian courts”
Nigeria v New Zealand

Round 8 (impromptu)
New Zealand v Australia

Results of each debate will be posted here during the tournament. The first round is on Tuesday February 9.  Wednesday February 10.

1 comment

New Zealand runners-up in Qatar Mini-WSDC

The New Zealand Development Team have finished as runners-up at the QatarDebate mini-WSDC in Doha. New Zealand lost in the Grand Final to Team Chile.

On the way to the final they defeated the United Arab Emirates affirming “This House believes we should adapt to climate change, not prevent it”, China when opposing “This House believes we should ban boxing”, the United States when affirming “That reality tv does more harm than good”, and Sudan when affirming “This House supports military intervention in Somalia”. They lost one debate – to Chile.

New Zealand also did very well on the speaker tab:

  • Nick Orr was ranked 7th
  • Sophie Boot was ranked 5th
  • Alex Morris was ranked 2nd
  • James Penn was ranked 1st!

This is an incredible achievement for a team of year 10 and 11 students (some of whom have not even attended Nationals) and bodes very well for the future of New Zealand schools debating. Well done!

EDIT: Friday, 11pm – corrected topics and added Sudan debate.

6 comments

NZ Development Team off to Qatar

A New Zealand Development Team of 5th formers from around New Zealand is currently in Doha, Qatar for a mini-World Schools’ Debating Championships. The tournament is designed for for developing countries and those new to the World Schools format; however New Zealand was also invited to attend.

With the current New Zealand team all having exams, the Executive (with the aid of regional convenors) selected a New Zealand development team to participate in the tournament. The team is: Sophie Boot (Christchurch Girls’ High School), Tim Robinson (St Bede’s College), James Penn (Wanganui High School), Nick Orr (Auckland Grammar School) and Alex Morris (Karamu High School).

The team is being coached by Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna (the current NZ team coach) and is also accompanied by NZSDC alumnus Ranald Clouston, who will be adjudicating the tournament.

The Council thanks QatarDebate for their generosity in flying the team to Qatar and hosting them for the duration of the tournament.

1 comment

Announcement of new New Zealand Team Coach

The Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna to the position of Coach of the 2009 Russell McVeagh New Zealand Schools’ Debating Team.

Clodagh has an outstanding record as a coach at a national level. In 2007, the Wellington team she co-coached won the New Zealand Schools’ Debating Championships, with all three members selected in the NZ Team. In 2008, a Wellington team she co-coached reached the Grand Final of the tournament, and in 2009 her Wellington team won the tournament again.

Clodagh is a former winner of the New Zealand Schools’ Debating Championships herself (in 2004) and has achieved considerable success at a university level, such as reaching the octo-finals of the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Champs and the Grand Final of the NZ Universities’ Impromptu Champs.

The Council is sure she will do an excellent job.

No comments

Opening of Applications for NZ Team Coach for Worlds 2010

The New Zealand Schools’ Debating Council is pleased to invite applications for the position of Coach of the 2009 Russell McVeagh New Zealand Schools Debating Team. This team will attend the 2010 World Schools Debating Champs in Doha, Qatar, to be held from 8 to 19 February, 2010.
The appointment process will be as follows:
1. Applicants to send a coaching CV and the name of one person who would be happy to be contacted as an oral referee to the NZ team manager, Rosemary Moar, by Friday 25 September at 5pm on rosymoar@gmail.com
2. Team manager to consider applications and meet with Council to create a shortlist of applicants.
3. Oral referees of shortlisted applicants to be contacted.
4. Council may authorise a sub-committee to conduct an interview with short-listed applicants if deemed necessary.
5. Council to advise applicants of outcomes in early October.
Role of the Coach

The role of the NZ team coach is to prepare the NZ team thoroughly for the 2010 World Schools Debating Championships. The coach is expected to attend the tournament in that capacity.
The coach will be expected to organise (in conjunction with the Council) training sessions for the team in advance of the tournament, and to run those sessions.
The NZ team manager (or appointed assistant team manager) will assist with organising travel etc, liaising with the team, and other non-debating matters that arise. The team manager will also act as the key contact point between the Council and the coach.
Time Commitment

The coach will be expected to travel to Qatar with the team, likely a few days in advance of the tournament for acclimatisation and further preparation. In the months between the time of appointment and the tournament, the coach will be expected to make themselves available to coach the team on mutually acceptable dates for the team members and the coach. The number and length of training sessions will be agreed between the Council and the coach.

Costs

The Council will meet the reasonable travel and accommodation costs for the coach to attend training sessions, if they are not held where the coach lives. This includes training sessions in Qatar in advance of the tournament.

The coach will be expected to pay a contribution towards the travel costs of sending him or her to Qatar for Worlds. This contribution has not yet been set by Council, but will be no more than $1000.

If applications are made by a pair of coaches on a co-coach basis, the Council will re-evaluate the contribution of each coach.

NZ ADJUDICATORS – QATAR WORLDS

The Council is also opening applications for official New Zealand adjudicators at Qatar. There are two positions available.
Official New Zealand adjudicators will be exempt from the registration fee for the tournament (circa $1000 NZD), and only need to meet the flight costs for themselves to and from Qatar. Travel can easily be arranged with the NZ team and coach if desirable.
Applicants should:
  • be experienced at judging debates in the World Schools format (which is what is used in New Zealand)
  • be able to judge from round one of Worlds (ie, not be a trainee or shadow judge for the first few rounds due to inexperience or having recently attended the tournament);
  • represent New Zealand with pride and professionalism at the tournament; and
  • Have shown a past or future committment to New Zealand schools’ debating
Please note that applicants need not have judged at Nationals before, but should have some experience of adjudicating at a regional level.
Applicants should send an adjudication CV to Christopher Bishop by Friday 25 September at 5pm on president@debating.org.nz. Successful applicants will be advised in early October.
NEW ZEALAND BID FOR WORLDS 2012

New Zealand is considering bidding for the right to host the World Schools’ Debating Championships in February 2012. If you are interested in joining the bid team for the tournament and/or the organising committee, please get in touch with Rosy Moar at rosymoar@gmail.com

1 comment

Prime Minister’s Function for World Champion New Zealand Schools’ Debating Team

On Monday 11 May the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Hon John Key, hosted a reception in the Grand Hall of the New Zealand Parliament to congratulate the world champion Russell McVeagh New Zealand Schools’ Debating Team.

Update: Photos from this event are now available in the photo gallery.

The speeches from the event were videoed and you can see them by clicking here or at the bottom of this post. The Prime Minister speaks first, followed by Maria English (Captain of the NZ team), Tim Clarke (Partner at Russell McVeagh), and Christopher Bishop, the President of the New Zealand Schools’ Debating Council.

Also present were the Minister of Education, Hon Anne Tolley, the Attorney-General, Hon Christopher Finlayson, the Minister of Revenue, Hon Peter Dunne, and Jacinda Ardern MP (a New Zealand Schools’ Debating Council alumna), along with proud family and friends.

Prime Minister John Key with the NZ Schools' Debating Team

2 comments

Maria on Breakfast

First it was Jen, now it’s Maria’s turn to talk to Paul Henry on Breakfast. Check out the interview here.

No comments

« Previous PageNext Page »