National Schools’ Debating Championships Results

Best Speakers

The award of Best Speaker is the most prestigious prize presented at the New Zealand Schools’ Debating Championships. From 1988-2005 the Cup was known as the Consultus Cup, after an early sponsor of the Championships. The Cup was replaced in 2005. Below is a list of all the previous winners:

The Best Speaker Cup
For the Best Speaker at the National Finals
New Zealand Schools’ Debating Championships

Best speaker with coaches, Nationals 2018

  • 1988

    Aaron Pedersen (Wanganui Collegiate School)

  • 1989

    Simon Ladd (Auckland Grammar School)

  • 1990

    Richard Suhr (St Patrick’s College) [Wellington]

  • 1991

    Alexandra Gillespie (Queen Margaret College); Richard Suhr (St Patrick’s College) [Wellington]

  • 1992

    Sacha Judd (Takapuna Grammar School)

  • 1993

    Ryan Orange (Palmerston North High School); Julianne Platt (Rangitoto College)

  • 1994

    Hayden Ryan, St Bede’s College

  • 1995

    Catherine Adams (Christchurch Girls’ High School)

  • 1996

    Anna Livesey (Wellington High School)

  • 1997

    Anna Livesey (Wellington Girls’ College)

  • 1998

    Chelsea Payne (Chilton St James School)

  • 1999

    Jesse Wilson (Auckland Grammar School)

  • 2000

    Paul Paterson (St Kentigern College)

  • 2001

    Jonathan Orpin (King’s College)

  • 2002

    Joe Connell (Wanganui Collegiate School)

  • 2003

    Laura Fraser (James Hargest High School)

  • 2004

    Stephen Whittington (Wellington College)

  • 2005

    Kathryn Scott-Dowell (Samuel Marsden Collegiate School)

  • 2006

    Samuel Coldicutt (Kristin School)

  • 2007

    Maria English (Samuel Marsden Collegiate School)

  • 2008

    Maria English (Samuel Marsden Collegiate School)

  • 2009

    Maria English (Samuel Marsden Collegiate School)

  • 2010

    Kieran Bunn (Logan Park High School)

  • 2011

    Thomas Simpson (Hamilton Boys’ High School)

  • 2012

    Thomas Simpson (Hamilton Boys’ High School)

  • 2013

    James Rankin (Westlake Boys’ High School)

  • 2014

    Lucy Ellingham (Kerikeri High School)

  • 2015

    Shakked Noy (Wellington High School)

  • 2016

    Amy Spittal (Waikato Diocesan School for Girls)

  • 2017

    Samuel Penno (Hutt International Boys’ College)

  • 2018

    Nicholas Goodman (Hamilton Boys’ High School)

  • 2019

    Mitchell Palmer (Auckland Grammar School)

  • 2020

    Isaac Mellis-Glynn (Auckland Grammar School)

  • 2021

    Tony Huang (Onslow College)

  • 2022

    Mannat Kaur (Avondale College)

  • 2023

    Isabella Cash (St Mary’s College)

  • 2024

    Luca Ririnui (Mount Maunganui College)

National Champions

At the conclusion of the Grand Final at each year’s 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

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  • 1988 – Taranaki/Manawatu

    Mark Alderdice
    Aaron Pedersen
    Susan Hornsby

  • 1989 – Wellington Blue

    Greg Ellis
    Eileen O’Donovan
    Richard Suhr

  • 1990 – Wellington Blue

    Catherine Williams
    Susannah Bridge
    Neil Miller

  • 1991 – Wellington Gold

    Alexandra Gillespie
    Susannah Bridge
    Elizabeth Hall
    Coach: Barbara Bourke

  • 1992 – Auckland White

    Sacha Judd
    Saul Holt
    Victoria Pearson
    Coach: Sally Hill

  • 1993 – Wellington Gold

    Rachel Smithies
    Mauro Barsi
    Chris Holland
    Coach: Noeline Hannan

  • 1994 - Wellington

    Rachel Smithies
    M. Murphy
    Claire Moody

  • 1995 - Wellington Red

    Jasper Morrow
    Anna Livesey
    Matt Cuthell

  • 1996 – Wellington Red

    Katya Paquin
    Anna Livesey
    Anthony Houlding
    Coaches: Mark Crofsky and Noelene Hannan

  • 1997 - Wellington

    Daniel Reardon
    Anna Livesey
    Sarah Fitzsimons
    Coach: Noeline Hannan

  • 1998 - Wellington Red

    Matt Sanders
    Chelsea Payne
    James Zucollo
    Coach: Don Stevens

  • 1999 - Wellington Gold

    Ravin Wickramasinghe
    Vanessa Schouten
    Ranald Clouston
    Coach: Graham Cameron, Jo Benseman

  • 2000 - Wellington Green

    Christopher Bishop
    David Dewar
    Ravin Wickramasinghe
    Coach: Noeline Hannan

  • 2001 - Waikato

    Michael Mabbett
    Michael Oehley
    Jordan Ward
    Coach: Tim Fitzgerald

  • 2002 - Central North Island

    Joshua Cameron
    Joseph Connell
    Jesse Wall
    Coaches: Chris Pearce, Zach Ward

  • 2003 - Otago Southland

    Victoria Nicholson
    Polly Higbee
    Laura Fraser
    Coaches: Kate Wevers, Holly Walker

  • 2004 - Wellington Black

    Lewis Bollard
    Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna
    Stephen Whittington
    Coach: Sayeqa Islam

  • 2005 - Auckland White

    Nathanael Gray
    Mitchell Cooper
    Dipra Ray
    Coaches: Sacha Judd, Tim Mullins

  • 2006 - Auckland Blue

    Nathanael Gray
    Samuel Coldicutt
    Verity Craft
    Coaches: Desley Horton, Jesse Wilson

  • 2007 - Wellington Black

    Jaz Nye Morris
    Paul Smith
    Maria English
    Coaches: Polly Higbee and Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna

  • 2008 - Waikato

    Tom Chen
    Jessica Jackman
    Luke Craven
    Coaches: Akif Malik, Max Harris

  • 2009 - Wellington Black

    Carlos Bowkett
    Maria English
    Jodie O’Neill
    Coaches: Polly Higbee and Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna

  • 2010 - Wellington Black

    James Gavey
    Thomas Mitchell
    Duncan McLachlan
    Coaches: Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna and Stephen Whittington

  • 2011 - Waikato

    Christopher Jury
    Thomas Simpson
    Kayla Grant
    Coach: Joshua Baxter

  • 2012 - Waikato

    Christopher Jury
    Thomas Simpson
    Kayla Grant
    Coaches: Joshua Baxter & Holly Jenkins

  • 2013 - Wellington Black

    Liam Dennis
    Ailidh Leslie
    Maddy Nash
    Coaches: Stephen Whittington & Hugh McCaffrey

  • 2014 - Wellington Black

    Liam Dennis
    Georgia Bloor-Wilson
    Peter McKenzie
    Coaches: Nick Gavey & Richard D’Ath

  • 2015 - Wellington Black

    Peter McKenzie
    Shakked Noy
    Sarah Mackenzie
    Coaches: Nick Gavey & Richard D’Ath

  • 2016 - Wellington Gold

    Ben Stockton (Wellington College)
    Ursula Crawford (Wellington East Girls’ College)
    Samuel Penno (Hutt International Boys’ School)
    Coaches: Maddy Nash & Aric Shakur

  • 2017 - Wellington Black

    Michael O’Brien (Wellington College)
    Manraj S. Rahi (Scots College)
    Brooke Kinajil-Moran (Wellington Girls College)
    Coaches: Kevin Moar & James Gave

  • 2018 - Auckland Blue

    Grace Baylis (Macleans College)
    Yang-Fan Yun (Macleans College)
    David Zhu (Macleans College)
    Coaches: Kayla Grant & Aditya Vasudevan

  • 2019 - Wellington Black

    Adam Muir (Wellington College)
    Peter Lang (Scots College)
    Isobel Sherf (Queen Margaret College)
    Coaches: Sarah Mackenzie & Shakked Noy

  • 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

  • 2021 - Wellington Black

    Benjamin Penno (Hutt International Boys’ School)
    Julia Randerson (Wellington High School)
    Tony Huang (Onslow College)
    Coaches: Ailidh Leslie & Amy Spittal

  • 2022 - Auckland White

    Michael Yao (Auckland Grammar School)
    Mannat Kaur (Avondale College)
    Nicole Hua (Selwyn College)
    Coaches: Bella Rollinson, Zachary Chambers and Josh Sampson

  • 2023 - Wellington Black

    Isabella Cash (St Mary's College)
    Chloe Sim (Samuel Marsden Collegiate School)
    Hannah Sema (St Mary's College)
    Coaches: Sarah Mackenzie, Emilie Horsfall and Arcadia Wardley

  • 2024 - Otago

    Clara Ballantyne (Columba College)
    Che McGivern (Trinity Catholic College)
    Samuel Mitchell (Kings High School)
    Coaches: Tony Huang, Julia Randerson and Sophie Bowmar

National Runners Up

The runner-up team at the National Finals of the New Zealand Schools’ Debating Championships receives the New Zealand Universities’ Trophy, inscribed as follows:

The New Zealand Universities’ Trophy
Presented by the New Zealand Universities’ Debating Council in 1988

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  • 1988 – Canterbury

    Julian Rayner
    Andru Isac
    Michael MacAskil

  • 1989 – Canterbury

    Imogen Dickie
    Harriet Gray
    Kendell Crossen

  • 1990 – Wellington

    Brendan Cash
    Elizabeth Hall
    Richard Suhr

  • 1991 – Wellington Green

    Brendan Cash
    Geoffrey Glynan
    Richard Suhr
    Coach: Fyvie Murray

  • 1992 – Wellington Gold

    Jennifer Stevens
    Mark Crofskey
    Vina Araiti
    Coach: Noeline Hannan

  • 1993 – Wellington Black

    Hamish Finlay
    Rowan Simpson
    Jane Friel
    Coach: Fyvie Murray

  • 1994 - Canterbury / Auckland

    Nicholas Flanagan
    Julianne Platt
    Hayden Ryan

  • 1995 - Wellington

    Sarah Barnett
    Angela Ballantyne
    Jonathan Walbridge

  • 1996 – Wellington Blue

    Antonia Reid
    Angela Ballantyne
    Jonathan Walbridge
    Coaches: Rachel Smithies and Don Stevens

  • 1997 - Canterbury Blue

    Anna Pilbrow
    Brian Cuddy
    Hamish Flanagan
    Coach: Nicholas Flanagan

  • 1998 - Auckland

    Francis Reid
    Nikki Willis
    Jesse Wilson

  • 1999 - Auckland

    Isaac Hikaka
    Warren Bangma
    Jesse Wilson
    Coach: Sacha Judd

  • 2000 - Auckland White

    James Townshend
    Miwah Van
    Paul Paterson
    Coach: Hayden Ryan

  • 2001 - Canterbury Black

    Jacob Mattingley
    Jeremy Johnson
    Jenna Rennie
    Coach: Mark Bradley

  • 2002 - Canterbury Black

    Jeremy Johnson
    Julia Whitehead
    Richard Flanagan
    Coach: Hamish Flanagan

  • 2003 - Waikato

    Henry Clayton
    David Koedyk
    Elliot O’Brien
    Coach: Jonathan Orpin

  • 2004 - Auckland Blue

    Chris Foulkes
    Hein Maung
    David Merry
    Coach: Jonathan Orpin

  • 2005 - Wellington Blue

    Heath Hutton
    Tim Duignan
    Ioana Gordon-Smith
    Coach: Ranald Clouston

  • 2006 - Wellington Gold

    Sam Ward
    Sophie Hamer
    Richard D’Ath
    Coach: Stephen Whittington

  • 2007 - Auckland Blue

    Sam George
    Sam Bookman
    Stephanie Thompson
    Coaches: Desley Horton, Glenn Riddell

  • 2008 - Wellington Gold

    Holly Jenkins
    Julia Wells
    Johanna McDavitt
    Coaches: Clodagh O’Connor-McKenna, Kathy Scott-Dowell

  • 2009 - Wellington Gold

    Nick Cross
    Julia Wells
    Jasmin Moran
    Coaches: Kathy Scott-Dowell, Seb Templeton

  • 2010 - Auckland Blue

    Nick Orr (Auckland Grammar School)
    Jessica Storey (St Cuthbert’s College)
    Frederick Thursfield (Kings College)
    Coaches: Stephanie Thompson, Glenn Riddell

  • 2011 - Auckland Blue

    Nick Orr (Auckland Grammar School)
    Frederick Thursfield (Kings College)
    Ishika Jayasinghe (St Cuthbert’s College)
    Coaches: Stephanie Thompson, Glenn Riddell

  • 2012 - Wellington Black

    Oscar Shaw
    Edward Foley (Wellington College)
    Jemima Lomax-Sawyers
    Coaches: Stephen Whittington, Duncan McLachlan

  • 2013 - Auckland Blue

    James Rankin (Westlake Boys’ High School)
    Andrew Winstanley (Auckland Grammar School)
    Kayla Polamalu (St Mary’s College)
    Coaches: Paul Smith & James Penn

  • 2014 - Auckland Blue

    Hannah Schubert Jones (Diocesan School for Girls)
    Harrison Fookes (Sacred Heart College)
    Arun Prakash (St Kentigern College)
    Coaches: Paul Smith & Lucy Harrison

  • 2015 - Auckland White

    Liam Rawlings (Westlake Boys’ High School)
    Karan Kalsi (Lynfield College)
    Sookyung Choi (St Cuthbert’s College)
    Coaches: Edward Foley & James Penn

  • 2016 - Auckland White

    Geneva Roy (Kings College)
    Karan Kalsi (Lynfield College)
    Zachary Wong (Macleans College)
    Coaches: Hamish Saunders & Lucy Harrison

  • 2017 - Auckland White

    Geneva Roy (Kings College)
    Karan Kalsi (Lynfield College)
    Piper Whitehead (Diocesan School for Girls)
    Coaches: Hamish Saunders & Lucy Harrison

  • 2018 - Otago Southland

    Lydia Joseph (Columba College)
    Bridget Scott (Columba College)
    Sabrina Swerdloff (Otago Girls’ High School)
    Coaches: Joe Ascroft & Emily Williams

  • 2019 - Auckland Blue

    Millie Caughey (St Cuthbert’s College)
    Mitchell Palmer (Auckland Grammar School)
    Kyus Rodger (Lynfield College)
    Coach: Chris Ryan

  • 2020 - Auckland White

    Friederike Voit (Rangitoto College)
    Millie Caughey (St Cuthbert’s College)
    Jack Sandelin (Auckland Grammar School)
    Coaches: Grace Belworthy, Lucy Harrison, Harper Smith

  • 2021 - Hawke’s Bay

    Edward (Ned) Brougham (Lindisfarne College)
    Keelan Heesterman (Karamu High School)
    Emilie Horsfall (Havelock North High School)
    Coaches: Sam O’Grady, Brooke Kinajil-Moran & Frankie Gross

  • 2022 - Waikato

    Janet Guo (Hillcrest High School)
    Jess Licht (Hillcrest High School))
    Levi Pruden (Hamilton Boys High School))
    Coaches: Harper Smith, Aisha O’Malley and Aylish Waldron

  • 2023 - Canterbury

    Luke Wylie (St Andrew's College)
    Ethan Jackson (Cashmere High School)
    Angam Vraich (Rangi Ruru Girls' School)
    Coach: Edward Brougham

  • 2024 - Auckland Blue

    Jamie Pett (Avondale College)
    Bruce Zhang (Macleans College)
    Catherine Chen (Kristin School)
    Coaches: Aisha O’Malley, Harry Aickin and Tane Neilson Sanchez

New Zealand Team Captains

At the conclusion of the National Finals of the New Zealand Schools’ Debating Championships the New Zealand Schools’ Debating Team and captain are named. Since 2001 the captain has received the Andrew Stockley Cup, inscribed as follows:

The Andrew Stockley Cup
For the Captain of the New Zealand Schools’ Debating Team
Named in Honour of Andrew Stockley
Founder, NZ Schools’ Debating Championships
Coach, NZ Schools’ Debating Team, for 10 years
Coach, World Schools’ Debating Champions, 1995
President, NZ Schools’ Debating Council, for 8 years
NZ Prepared Debating, Impromptu Debating and Oratory Champion

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  • 1988

    Aaron Pedersen (Wanganui Collegiate School)

  • 1989

    Simon Ladd (Auckland Grammar School)

  • 1990

    Catherine Williams (Tawa College)

  • 1991

    Richard Suhr (St Patrick’s College, Wellington)

  • 1992

    Sacha Judd (Takapuna Grammar School)

  • 1993

    Ryan Orange (Palmerston North High School)

  • 1994

    Rachel Smithies (St Mary’s College, Wellington)

  • 1995

    Catherine Adams (Christchurch Girls’ High School)

  • 1996

    Jonathan Scragg (St Andrew’s College, Christchurch)

  • 1997

    Anna Livesey (Wellington Girls’ College)

  • 1998

    Francis Reid (Westlake Boys’ High School)

  • 1999

    Caleb Ward (St Paul’s Collegiate School, Hamilton)

  • 2000

    Dan Musgrove (Marlborough Boys’ High School)

  • 2001

    Pascal Millaire (King’s College)

  • 2002

    Seb Tuohy (Hutt Valley High School)

  • 2003

    Eleanor Bishop (Wellington Girls’ College)

  • 2004

    Lewis Bollard (Wellington College)

  • 2005

    Pei Huang (Karamu High School

  • 2006

    Kathryn Scott-Dowell (Samuel Marsden Collegiate School)

  • 2007

     Jane Pring (Nga Tawa Wellington Diocesan School for Girls)

  • 2008

    Maria English (Samuel Marsden Collegiate School)

  • 2009

    Maria English (Samuel Marsden Collegiate School)

  • 2010

    Kieran Bunn (Logan Park High School)

  • 2011

    Nick Orr (Auckland Grammar School)

  • 2012

    James Penn (Wanganui High School)

  • 2013

    Ailidh Leslie (Wellington High School)

  • 2014

    Liam Dennis (Hutt International Boys’ School)

  • 2015

    Georgina Lomax-Sawyers (Buller College)

  • 2016

    Peter McKenzie (Scots’ College)

  • 2017

    Geneva Roy (King’s College)

  • 2018

    Lydia Joseph (Columba College)

  • 2019

    William Price (Westlake Boys’ High School)

  • 2020

    Lucy Jessep (St Margaret’s College)

  • 2021

    Isaac Mellis-Glynn (Auckland Grammar School)

  • 2022

    Janet Guo (Hillcrest High School)

  • 2023

    Isabella Cash (St Mary’s College)

  • 2024

    Clara Ballantyne (Columba College)

Most Promising Speakers

Since 1992, a Most Promising Speaker has been named each year at the conclusion of the National Finals of the New Zealand Schools’ Debating Championships.  The Most Promising Speaker receives the Rosemary Dixon Cup:

The Rosemary Dixon Cup
Named in Honour of Rosemary Dixon
President, NZ Schools’ Debating Council, 1990-4
Convenor, World Schools’ Debating Championships, 1994
Coach, World Schools’ Debating Champions, 1991 and 1992
Former Captain, NZ Debating Team

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  • 1992

    Jane Friel (Viard College, Porirua)

  • 1993

    Joanne Wilson (Rangitoto College)

  • 1994

    Joseph McLean (Hamilton Boys’ High School)

  • 1995

    Angela Ballantyne (Wellington Girls’ College)

  • 1996

    Rob Morton (Palmerston North Boys’ High School)

  • 1997

    Emma Bennett (Columba College, Dunedin)

  • 1998

    Ranald Clouston (Kapiti College)

  • 1999

    Ravin Wickramasinghe (St Patrick’s College, Silverstream)

  • 2000

    Jordan Ward (St Paul’s Collegiate School, Hamilton)

  • 2001

    Jeremy Johnson (Christ’s College)

  • 2002

    Kate Eastwood (Kerikeri High School)

  • 2003

    Polly Higbee (St Hilda’s Collegiate School)

  • 2004

    Pei Huang (Karamu High School)

  • 2005

    Eliana Gray (Nayland College)

  • 2006

    Samuel Bookman (St Kentigern College)

  • 2007

    Kurt Purdon (Otago Boys’ High School)

  • 2008

    Luke Craven (Bethlehem College)

  • 2009

    Cameron Price (Napier Boys’ High School)

  • 2010

    Kimberley Savill (Nayland College)

  • 2011

    Christopher Jury (Hamilton Boys’ High School)

  • 2012

    Callum Lo (Lindisfarne College)

  • 2013

    Georgina Lomax-Sawyers (Buller High School)

  • 2014

    Rhaz Solomon (Wanganui High School)

  • 2015

    Gabrielle Penn (Wanganui High School)

  • 2016

    Piper Whitehead (Auckland Diocesan School for Girls)

  • 2017

    Sabrina Swerdloff (Otago Girls’ High School)

  • 2018

    Dominic Beaton (St John’s College)

  • 2019

    Millie Caughey (St Cuthbert’s College)

  • 2020

    Ronan Payinda (Huanui College)

  • 2021

    Sophie Crozier (Onslow College) & Ella Mitchell (Tauranga Girls’ College)

  • 2022

    Isabella Cash (St Mary’s College)

  • 2023

    Teresa Ng (Wellington Girls’ College)

  • 2024

    Ollie Farquharson (Tauranga Boys College)