New Zealand British Parliamentary Open Debating Championships

The New Zealand British Parliamentary Open Debating Championships is one of three university debating tournaments in New Zealand sanctioned by the New Zealand Universities' Debating Council.
History of the tournament
The tournament was established in 2004 by the Victoria University of Wellington Debating Society, with the aim of further exposing New Zealand debaters and adjudicators to the British Parliamentary style used at the World Championships, as well as providing practice for New Zealand teams attending Worlds. In its early incarnation the tournament was known as the "Victoria IV" (or even more colloquially, "the Islams", after its first convenor, Sayeqa Islam). In 2006 the New Zealand Universities' Debating Council agreed to officially recognise the tournament.
The tournament operates slightly differently from the other two major New Zealand tournaments:
*The tournament has to date always been held at Victoria University of Wellington, due to Wellington being approximately half-way between Auckland and Dunedin, and most BP-qualified judges being in Wellington;
*International teams are allowed to enter (indeed, welcomed);
*Non-university students are allowed to enter (hence the "open" in the title);
*Campuses can generally send as many teams as they like;
About the Prizes
The Victoria University of Wellington Debating Society donated the following cups to the tournament in 2006:
*The Vice-Chancellor's Cup was donated in honour of Professor Pat Walsh, the Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington in 2006, who was very supportive of the Debating Society's hosting of the 2006 Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championships.
*The David Lange Cup was named after the Rt Hon David Lange, a former New Zealand Prime Minister and famed parliamentary debater, who died in 2005.
Results from Past Championships
2009
* Winners: Victoria University of Wellington (Udayan Mukherjee & Paul Smith)
* Runners-up: University of Sydney Union (Pat Caldwell & Eliza Forsyth), Victoria University of Wellington (Polly Higbee & Stephen Whittington), Composite Team (Matt Cuthell & Ryan Orange)
* Top Speaker: Jonathan Orpin
* Best Novice Speaker: Ellen Thomson (Victoria University of Wellington)
40 teams competed in 2009, with the bulk coming from Victoria and Auckland Universities. Two teams from Sydney crossed the Tasman, with one finishing as runners-up. Gareth Richards was the tournament's Chief Adjudicator for the third time, assisted by former Worlds top ten speaker Julia Fetherston. The Grand Final, again hosted by Hon Christopher Finlayson in the New Zealand Parliament, was of a similar composition to 2008, with Udayan Mukherjee and Paul Smith again squaring off against Stephen Whittington and Polly Higbee as well as a team from Sydney. Former Worlds semi-finalists at the turn of the decade, Matt Cuthell and Ryan Orange (for Victoria and Oxford respectively) rounded out the teams. Second year students Mukherjee and Smith upset their more favoured and experienced rivals to win the tournament for the first time. Jonathan Orpin won the prize for best speaker and his teammate Ellen Thomson won the prize for the best novice speaker.
2008
* Winners: Victoria University of Wellington (Polly Higbee & Stephen Whittington)
* Runners-up: University of Sydney Union (Tim Mooney & Julia Fetherston), Victoria University of Wellington (Kathy Errington & Richard D'Ath), Victoria University of Wellington (Udayan Mukherjee & Paul Smith)
* Top Speaker: Tim Mooney (University of Sydney Union)
* Best Novice Speaker: Ella Edginton (Victoria University of Wellington)
2008 was the largest tournament by far to date, with 44 teams competing. Three teams from Australia crossed the Tasman, with Sydney University finishing as runners-up and Tim Mooney topping the tab. A second Sydney team also broke. Christopher Bishop and Gareth Richards, three-time winners of the tournament as debaters, acted as co-Chief Adjudicators, assisted by Worlds 2009 DCA Erin O'Brien and 2004 Worlds semi-finalist Jonathan Orpin. The tournament was generously supported by the New Zealand Business Roundtable. Victoria University won the competition, defeating Sydney and two other Victoria teams in the Grand Final at the New Zealand Parliament, which was hosted by Hon Christopher Finlayson. Victoria provided six of the top ten speakers, and five of the breaking teams.
2007
* Winners: Victoria University of Wellington (Christopher Bishop & Gareth Richards)
* Runners-up: Auckland University (Jordan Ward & James Little), Victoria University of Wellington (Polly Higbee & Clodagh O'Connor-McKenna), Composite team from Monash University and Melbourne University (Victor Finkel & Nicole Lynch).
* Top Speaker: Gareth Richards (Victoria University of Wellington)
* Best Novice Speakers: Dave Dewar (University of Canterbury) and Kathy Errington (Victoria University of Wellington)
2007 saw international teams (from Monash/Melbourne, Macquarie University, and Sydney University) enter for the first time, along with 29 other teams from around New Zealand (although Otago did not send any teams). It was the largest tournament to date. Ranald Clouston, a former Victoria University of Wellington Debating Society member, and runner-up at the previous Worlds for Cambridge University was the Chief Adjudicator, assisted by 2005 Worlds best speaker, Kylie Lane, and 2004 Worlds semi-finalist Jesse Wilson. Christopher Bishop & Gareth Richards topped the team tab and speaker tab and won their third title in four years, defeating the previous year's champions, Auckland.
2006
* Winners: Auckland University (Jordan Ward & James Little)
* Runners-up: Victoria University of Wellington (Christopher Bishop & Kevin Moar), Otago University (Renee Heal & Laura Fraser), Composite team from Victoria University of Wellington and Russell McVeagh (Sayeqa Islam & Matt Sanders)
* Top Speakers: Sayeqa Islam ( Victoria University of Wellington) and Kevin Moar ( Victoria University of Wellington)
2006 saw the tournament grow in size again, to 28 teams. Auckland University won for the first time, defeating Otago, Victoria, and a composite team in the Grand Final. Sayeqa Islam won the best speaker prize for the second time, sharing it with Kevin Moar, making a return to the debating stage. This was the first time the tournament was officially held as the New Zealand British Parliamentary Open Debating Championships. The Vice-Chancellor's and David Lange Cups were presented for the first time. Gareth Richards served as the Chief Adjudicator.
2005
* Winners: Victoria University of Wellington (Christopher Bishop & Gareth Richards)
* Runners-up: Auckland University (Jonathan Orpin & Jesse Wilson), Victoria University of Wellington (Joe Connell & Stephen Whittington), Otago University (Jesse Wall & Laura Fraser)
* Top Speaker: Sayeqa Islam ( Victoria University of Wellington)
24 teams gathered for the second tournament, with Christopher Bishop & Gareth Richards defending their title. Sayeqa Islam won the best speaker prize. Kevin Moar was again the Chief Adjudicator.
2004
* Winners: Victoria University of Wellington (Christopher Bishop & Gareth Richards)
* Runners-up: Victoria University of Wellington (Josh Cameron & Ranald Clouston), Otago University (Holly Walker & Kate Wevers), Composite team (Philip Cornege & Matt Sanders)
* Top Speaker: Joe Connell ( Victoria University of Wellington)
The first BP tournament ever held in New Zealand was a big success, with 24 teams from around New Zealand entering. Hon Peter Dunne hosted the tournament's Grand Final in the Legislative Council Chamber of the New Zealand Parliament. Christopher Bishop & Gareth Richards won from opening opposition. Joe Connell won the first best speaker prize. Kevin Moar served as the tournament's Chief Adjudicator.

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