At the conclusion of the Grand Final at each year’s NZIER Nationals, the winning team is announced. The winning team receives The Debating Council Trophy, inscribed as follows:
The Debating Council Trophy
For New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Debating
Presented by A P Stockley
Chairman, New Zealand Schools’ Debating Council
2021 – Wellington Black
Benjamin Penno (Hutt International Boys’ School)
Julia Randerson (Wellington High School)
Tony Huang (Onslow College)
Coaches: Ailidh Leslie & Amy Spittal
2020 – Auckland Blue
Isaac Mellis-Glynn (Auckland Grammar School)
Kunli Zhang (Kristin School)
Grace Chang (Saint Kentigern College)
Coaches: Jessica Storey, Paul Smith & Rory Nolan
2019 – Wellington Black
Adam Muir (Wellington College)
Peter Lang (Scots College)
Isobel Sherf (Queen Margaret College)
Coaches: Sarah Mackenzie & Shakked Noy
2018 – Auckland Blue
Grace Baylis (Macleans College)
Yang-Fan Yun (Macleans College)
David Zhu (Macleans College)
Coaches: Kayla Grant & Aditya Vasudevan
2017 – Wellington Black
Michael O’Brien (Wellington College)
Manraj S. Rahi (Scots College)
Brooke Kinajil-Moran (Wellington Girls College)
Coaches: Kevin Moar & James Gavey
2016 – Wellington Gold
Ben Stockton (Wellington College)
Ursula Crawford (Wellington East Girls’ College)
Samuel Penno (Hutt International Boys’ School)
Coaches: Maddy Nash & Aric Shakur
2015 – Wellington Black
Peter McKenzie
Shakked Noy
Sarah Mackenzie
Coaches: Nick Gavey & Richard D’Ath
2014 – Wellington Black
Liam Dennis
Georgia Bloor-Wilson
Peter McKenzie
Coaches: Nick Gavey & Richard D’Ath
2013 – Wellington Black
Liam Dennis
Ailidh Leslie
Maddy Nash
Coaches: Stephen Whittington & Hugh McCaffrey
2012 – Waikato
Christopher Jury
Thomas Simpson
Kayla Grant
Coaches: Joshua Baxter & Holly Jenkins
2011 – Waikato
Christopher Jury
Thomas Simpson
Kayla Grant
Coach: Joshua Baxter
2010 – Wellington Black
James Gavey
Thomas Mitchell
Duncan McLachlan
Coaches: Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna and Stephen Whittington
2009 – Wellington Black
Carlos Bowkett
Maria English
Jodie O’Neill
Coaches: Polly Higbee and Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna
2008 – Waikato
Tom Chen
Jessica Jackman
Luke Craven
Coaches: Akif Malik, Max Harris
2007 – Wellington Black
Jaz Nye Morris
Paul Smith
Maria English
Coaches: Polly Higbee and Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna
2006 – Auckland Blue
Nathanael Gray
Samuel Coldicutt
Verity Craft
Coaches: Desley Horton, Jesse Wilson
2005 – Auckland White
Nathanael Gray
Mitchell Cooper
Dipra Ray
Coaches: Sacha Judd, Tim Mullins
2004 – Wellington Black
Lewis Bollard
Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna
Stephen Whittington
Coach: Sayeqa Islam
2003 – Otago-Southland
Victoria Nicholson
Polly Higbee
Laura Fraser
Coaches: Kate Wevers, Holly Walker
2002 – Central North Island
Joshua Cameron
Joseph Connell
Jesse Wall
Coaches: Chris Pearce, Zach Ward
2001 – Waikato
Michael Mabbett
Michael Oehley
Jordan Ward
Coach: Tim Fitzgerald
2000 – Wellington Green
Christopher Bishop
David Dewar
Ravin Wickramasinghe
Coach: Noeline Hannan
1999 – Wellington Gold
Ravin Wickramasinghe
Vanessa Schouten
Ranald Clouston
Coach: Graham Cameron, Jo Benseman
1998 – Wellington Red
Matt Sanders
Chelsea Payne
James Zucollo
Coach: Don Stevens
1997 – Wellington
Daniel Reardon
Anna Livesey
Sarah Fitzsimons
Coach: Noeline Hannan
1996 – Wellington Red
Katya Paquin
Anna Livesey
Anthony Houlding
Coaches: Mark Crofsky and Noelene Hannan
1995 – Wellington Red
Jasper Morrow
Anna Livesey
Matt Cuthell
1994 – Wellington
Rachel Smithies
M. Murphy
Claire Moody
1993 – Wellington Gold
Rachel Smithies
Mauro Barsi
Chris Holland
Coach: Noeline Hannan
1992 – Auckland White
Sacha Judd
Saul Holt
Victoria Pearson
Coach: Sally Hill
1991 – Wellington Gold
Alexandra Gillespie
Susannah Bridge
Elizabeth Hall
Coach: Barbara Bourke
1990 – Wellington Blue
Catherine Williams
Susannah Bridge
Neil Miller
1989 – Wellington Blue
Greg Ellis
Eileen O’Donovan
Richard Suhr
1988 – Taranaki/Manawatu
Mark Alderdice
Aaron Pedersen
Susan Hornsby