Victoria University of Wellington Debating Society

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Logo of the VUW Australs 2006
Logo of the VUW Australs 2006
VUW Debsoc, Joynt Scroll 2006
VUW Debsoc, Joynt Scroll 2006

The Victoria University of Wellington Debating Society (Inc.) or "Debsoc" as it is more commonly known, is a New Zealand University Debating Society. The society was formed in 1899, prior to the formation of Victoria University itself. VUW Debsoc is an Incorporated Society, run by a committee of eleven people who organise regular debating grades, tournaments, public debates and social events. The Society meets each week during the university year on Wednesday nights in the Student Union Building, and attends tournaments during each of the mid-trimester and trimester breaks. The Society also organises the prestigious Plunket Medal Oratory contest, the oldest prize for public speaking in New Zealand.

The 2007 Debating Society President is Christopher Bishop. Polly Higbee is the Vice-President.

Contents

[edit] Debating Success

The VUW Debating Society is the most successful university debating society in New Zealand. It has won the Officers' Cup for impromptu debating at the New Zealand University Games sports tournament for the last seven years. It is the current holder of the prestigious Joynt Scroll for prepared debating, and it has won this trophy more than any other university. It has won the New Zealand British Parliamentary Debating Champs for the last two years. It is also the current holder of the "Thropy Cup" for university debating at a novice level in the North Island.

Students from the Debating Society are also frequently selected for the New Zealand Universities Debating teams. The Impromptu team is currently Joe Connell, and Josh Cameron (c) - both Victoria debaters. The Prepared team is currently Polly Higbee (c), Michael Mabbett - both of the VUW Debating Societ - and one member of the Otago University Debating Society (Laura Fraser).

In July 2006 the VUW Debating Society organised and hosted the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championships. The top VUW team was ranked fifth at this tournament, and the VUW Debating Society is the only New Zealand Debating Society to have won the tournament, which it has done three times, in 1980, 1982, and 1998.

[edit] The 2006 Debating Year

2006 was a year of unprecedented success for the VUW Debating Society. The Society recorded the following results:

  • 1st, 2nd and 3rd at the New Zealand Universities Impromptu Debating Champs ("Easters")
  • 5th place at the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Champs ("Australs")
  • 1st and 2nd at the North Island Novice University Debating Champs ("Thropy")
  • 1st, 3rd and 5th at the New Zealand Universities Prepared Debating Champs ("Joynt Scroll")
  • At the New Zealand British Parliamentary Open Debating Champs, 2 of the 4 teams in the final, and 6 of the 8 teams in the semi-finals were from Victoria.

In addition:

  • Two Victoria debaters (Josh Cameron and Joe Connell) are the NZ Universities Impromptu Debating Team;
  • Two (of three) debaters in the NZ Universities Prepared Team are from Victoria (Polly Higbee and Michael Mabbett);
  • The two recipients of the Centennial Cup for Best Adjudicator at a NZU tournament in 2006 were both from Victoria (Gareth Richards and Joe Connell);
  • The winners of the Sir David Beattie Cup (public speaking) and Bledisloe Award for Oratory in 2006 were both from Victoria (Josh Cameron and Lewis Holden, respectively).
  • Of the top ten speakers at the NZ British Parliamentary Open Debating Champs, 6 were from Victoria and the David Lange Cup for the best speaker of the tournament was shared by Kevin Moar and Sayeqa Islam, both of Victoria.

[edit] New Zealand British Parliamentary Open Debating Championships

Each year in December the Society organises a New Zealand invitational tournament. The tournament is run according to the British Parliamentary style of debating. The tournament was first run in 2004, when it was won by Christopher Bishop and Gareth Richards of the Debating Society. They successfully defended their title in 2005. In 2006, the tournament became officially known as the "New Zealand British Parliamentary Open Debating Championships", following a decision of the Annual General Meeting of the New Zealand Universities' Debating Council. The 2006 Competition was won by Jordan Ward and James Little from the University of Auckland, who beat a team from Otago University and two Victoria teams in the final.

The top ten speakers were as follows:

  • 1= Sayeqa Islam (Victoria)
  • 1= Kevin Moar (Victoria
  • 3 Laura Fraser (Otago)
  • 4 Christopher Bishop (Victoria)
  • 5 Jordan Ward (Auckland)
  • 6= Michael Mabbett (Victoria)
  • 6= Matthew Sanders (formerly of Victoria)
  • 8 James Little (Auckland)
  • 9 Joshua Cameron (Victoria)
  • 10=Renee Heal (Otago)
  • 10=Polly Higbee (Victoria)

[edit] Winners of Joynt Scroll

The VUW Debating Society has won "Joynt Scroll", the New Zealand Universities Prepared Debating Championships, more often than any other Debating Society in New Zealand.

  • 2006: H.A McCaffrey, P.H Higbee & L.J Holden
  • 2003: C.J.S Bishop, R. Clouston & S. Islam
  • 2002: K.A.J Moar, N.V Willis & D. Small
  • 2000: A. Livesey, C. Payne & D. Small
  • 1997: D.R Orange, H.M Finlay & B.J Gandy
  • 1994: Miss C.M Williams, N.C Miller & B. Cash
  • 1993: Miss C.M Williams, N.C Miller & Miss A.J Gillespie
  • 1988: A.M Crawley, A.E Howman & D. Capie
  • 1985: I.R Rennie, J.R King & D.I Stevens
  • 1984: N.J.A Sainsbury, J.R King & D.I Stevens
  • 1982: P.F Biggs, J.R Allen & D.I Stevens
  • 1981: N.J.A Sainsbury, Ms M.D McCallum & Miss B.D Golder
  • 1980: R.P Baker, P.M Ridley-Smith & R.K Stephenson
  • 1978: D. Linney, S. Kos & R.P Baker
  • 1977: C.D Falconer BA (Hons), D. Linney & R.P Baker
  • 1976: C.D Falconer BA (Hons), D. Linney & V. Goldblatt MA (Hons)
  • 1972: T.J Groser BA, P.F Boshier & R.A Campbell BA
  • 1971: H.P Stubbs, J.G Blincoe & E.R Fairbrother
  • 1970: H.S Hancock BA, H.P Stubbs & P.P Butler
  • 1969: Miss B.A Foot, H.P Stubbs & B.R Newell
  • 1966: J.C.M Rose BSc, G.P Curry & S.A Whitehouse
  • 1965: P.J.R Blizard BA (Hons), D.A Shand & A.H Ashenden BCom
  • 1964: P.J.R Blizard BA & J.B McKinley
  • 1961: T.A Roberts & F.A Hamlin
  • 1958: E.W Thomas LLB & J.M Whitta BCom
  • 1943: Miss H. O'Flynn & K.T Fowler
  • 1942: W. Wah & Miss B. Hutchinson
  • 1940: P.J Sheehan & H.C Bowyer
  • 1939: R.W Edgely & R.L Meek
  • 1937: A.R Perry LLM & S.G Andrews MA
  • 1932: H.R Bannister & Miss C.S Forde
  • 1931: W.J Mountjoy & H.R Bannister
  • 1928: J.F Platts-Mills & W.P Rollings
  • 1925: S.E Baume & R.M Campbell
  • 1923: J.W.C Davidson & F.H Haig
  • 1919: E. Evans & W.E Leicester
  • 1915: I.M Moss & L.P Leary
  • 1914: G.G.G Watson MA/LLB & A.B Sievwright
  • 1912: F.G Hall Jones BA & G.W Morice MA
  • 1911: C.H Taylor MA & M.H Oram MA
  • 1909: D.S Smith & G.H Gibb
  • 1908: J. Mason & H.E Evans
  • 1907: B.E Murphy BA & H.F O'Leary
  • 1906: E.J Fitzgibbon & F.P Kelly

[edit] Winners of Officers' Cup

The VUW Debating Society has won the Officers' Cup, the New Zealand Universities Impromptu Debating Championships, for the last seven years.

  • 2006: Tom Fitzsimons & Stephen Whittington
  • 2005: Christopher Bishop & Joe Connell
  • 2004: Christopher Bishop & Gareth Richards
  • 2003: Ranald Clouston & Sayeqa Islam
  • 2002: Chelsea Payne & Nicola Willis
  • 2001: Kevin Moar & Nicola Willis
  • 2000: Chelsea Payne & Duncan Small
  • 1999: Matt Cuthell & Angela Ballantyne
  • 1996: Rob Salmond & Ryan Orange
  • 1997: Rob Salmond & Ryan Orange
  • 1990: M Hickey & Justine Munro

[edit] Winners of the Plunket Medal

  • 2006: J.S Connell
  • 2005: R.D Christie
  • 2004: C. King
  • 2003: M.F Mabbett
  • 2000: R. Clouston
  • 1999: M. Cuthell
  • 1998: G. Cameron
  • 1997: B.G.A Morris
  • 1996: D.R Orange
  • 1995: C. Holland
  • 1994: R. Salmond
  • 1993: Miss C.M Williams
  • 1992: Miss A.J Gillespie
  • 1991: N.C Miller
  • 1990: Miss M.V Myers
  • 1989: P. Diamond
  • 1988: M.J Hickey
  • 1987: N.D.J Coyle
  • 1986: C.F Ryder
  • 1985: J.M.R Fowler
  • 1984: R.P Baker
  • 1983: Miss J. Wilson
  • 1982: N.J Sainsbury
  • 1981: J.C Roseveare
  • 1980: P.R Biggs
  • 1979: D.R Cotterall
  • 1978: L. O'Connor
  • 1977: Miss H. Sinclair
  • 1976: J. Bishop
  • 1975: P. Greene
  • 1974: R. Fairbrother
  • 1973: Miss V. Mooney
  • 1972: B. Newell
  • 1971: D. L Hutchinson
  • 1970: H.S Hancock
  • 1969: Miss B.A Foot
  • 1968: S. Italio
  • 1967: P.P Butler
  • 1966: J.R Wareham
  • 1965: A.H Ashenden
  • 1964: P.J Blizard
  • 1963: A. Afeaki
  • 1962: T.A Roberts
  • 1961: F.A Hamlin
  • 1960: Miss M. Boyle
  • 1959: W. Waddell
  • 1958: J.M Whitta
  • 1957: W.D Dent
  • 1956: H.C MacNeil
  • 1955: G.N Cruden
  • 1954: B.M Brown
  • 1953: D.R Murray
  • 1952: C.V Bollinger
  • 1951: F.L Curtin
  • 1950: M.F McIntyre
  • 1949: H.J Brenda
  • 1948: A.J Williams
  • 1947: J.D Milburn
  • 1946: K.B O'Brien
  • 1945: K.L Neuberg
  • 1944: J.C.P Williams
  • 1943: H.M.B O'Leary
  • 1942: Miss M.C Crompton
  • 1941: L. Nathan
  • 1940: J.B Bergin
  • 1939: B.M O'Connor
  • 1938: W. Wah
  • 1937: A.H Scotney MA
  • 1936: J.B Aimers
  • 1935: K.J.T Tahiwi
  • 1934: R.J Larkin
  • 1933: A. Katz
  • 1932: Miss C.S Forde
  • 1931: Miss Z.R.M Henderson
  • 1930: A.E Hurley
  • 1929: A.D Priestley
  • 1928: W.J Mountjoy
  • 1927: W.P Pollinger
  • 1926: J.F Platts-Mills
  • 1925: S.E Baume
  • 1924: J.W Davidson
  • 1923: I.L Hjorring
  • 1922: P.J.G Smith
  • 1921: A.S Tonkin
  • 1920: W.E Leicester
  • 1919: C.G Kirk
  • 1918: P. Martin-Smith
  • 1917: Miss M. Neumann
  • 1916: E. Evans
  • 1913: Miss M.L Nicholls
  • 1912: O.C Mazengarb MA
  • 1911: F.G Hall Jones
  • 1910: M.H Oram MA
  • 1909: G.W Morice
  • 1908: D.S Smith
  • 1907: F.P Kelly
  • 1906: H.F O'Leary
  • 1905: E.J Fitzgibbon

[edit] Past Presidents

  • 2006: James Clark
  • 2005: Gareth Richards
  • 2004: Sayeqa Islam
  • 2003: Malcolm Birdling
  • 2002: Chelsea Payne
  • 2001: Chelsea Payne
  • 2000: Antonia Reid
  • 1999: Matthew Cuthell

[more to come]

[edit] Life Members

  • Kevin Moar (inducted October 2006)

[edit] Interesting information about the Society

The Society has adopted the song 'Victoria' by The Exponents as its unofficial anthem, sung on celebratory occasions like winning a tournament. At Joynt Scroll in 2003, each member of the Victoria contingent was presented with ownership of a line from the song that reflected their personality ("Reads Cosmopolitan and Alvin Toffler") or how the Society (jokingly) felt about them at the time ("Is he a customer that's really worth keeping?"). Each contingent member had their line printed on the back of the tournament t-shirts. It is rumoured that an updating of members' lines will occur at Joynt Scroll 2007, to be held in Wellington.

Prominent debaters from the Society are often Rhodes Scholars. Victoria University's two most recent Rhodes Scholars, Malcolm Birdling and Chelsea Payne were both Presidents of the Society, as have been a number of Rhodes Scholars before them, such as Alexandra Gillespie, and John Platts-Mills.

The Society has honours boards (maintained by the University) in the bottom foyer of the historic Hunter Building at Victoria University. The original wooden honours boards were maintained and restored when the Hunter Building itself was restored and renovated in the early 1990s. The honours boards list (by year) Victoria students who have won the Joynt Scroll, the Bledisloe Medal for Oratory, the Plunket Medal, and the Union Prize.

[edit] Notable former members

[edit] External links

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