05 August 2004
Top School Debaters Meet In Wellington
The country’s most talented High School debaters will compete in Wellington this weekend in the 2004 New Zealand Schools
Debating Championships.
The competition will be fierce with 12 teams representing nine regions spaning the length of the nation from Northland
to Otago-Southland. Each of the finalists was selected to represent their province during a series of regional
competitions held earlier in the year.
The Championships open on Friday 6th and run until Monday 9th August. During this time the teams will compete in five
preliminary debates, before the top four sides will face sudden death in the semi-finals.
The National Championships will then culminate with the Grand Final held in the Legislative Council Chamber in
Parliament at 10:30am on Monday morning. There host the Hon Peter Dunne will present the winning team with The Debating
Council Trophy and the members of The 2004 Russell McVeagh New Zealand Schools Debating Team will be announced.
This team will represent New Zealand at The 2005 World Schools Debating Championships in Calgary, Canada. This will be
the 17th annual World Championships, where New Zealand has a strong record having previously won the event three times.
All of the preliminary round debates, as the semi-final will be held at the Victoria University of Wellington School of
Law, Lambton Quay and the public are welcome to attend.
The following regions will be represent at the 2005 Championships: Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Central North Island,
Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Nelson-Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago-Southland.
ENDS