Sixty-one debaters, 11 teams and three octofinals appearances made 2026 a standout year for debating at Westlake Girls.
Competing across the Auckland Schools Debating (ASD) competitions, Westlake Girls fielded four Junior Open, four Senior Open and three Advanced Open teams, with students putting their critical thinking, quick wit and persuasive speaking skills to the test throughout the season.
Teams tackled a wide range of challenging New Zealand moots, including whether the government should provide financial incentives for people to move out of Auckland, whether voting should be compulsory, whether monetary rewards should be offered to help solve crimes, and whether substantial low-income housing should be built in wealthy neighbourhoods.
Their hard work produced excellent results, with two Advanced Open teams and one Senior Open team qualifying for the octofinals, placing them among the top debaters in the region.
The Thorburn Cup returns
Another highlight was the return of the Thorburn Cup, the traditional annual debating clash between Westlake Girls and Westlake Boys, which had not been contested since 2021.
The rivalry returned to the stage on 5 August, with teams debating the motion, “This House regrets the advertising of mental health awareness content on TikTok.” Westlake Boys took the affirmative, while Westlake Girls argued the negative.
Both teams delivered a closely contested debate, demonstrating sharp reasoning and strong rebuttal skills before Westlake Boys ultimately secured a narrow victory.
Thank you to Mr Dugmore, who joined a Westlake Boys debating coach on the adjudication panel for the event.
Congratulations to all our debaters for their preparation, commitment and team spirit throughout the season. Their results reflect an exciting year for debating at Westlake Girls and provide plenty to build on for 2027.
Pictured from left: Naba Rahman, Rosa Morris, Nicole Lau, Matthew Heng, Ryan Thach, Harrison Xiao, Dorsa Jahedi and Laura Mackenzie.
