The Otago University Debating Society (OUDS) has put in a bid to host the so-called “Australs” tournament next year. Australs are the second-largest debating tournament in the world and bring together a minimum of 80 three-person teams from Asia-Pacific universities. The last New Zealand university to host the competition was Victoria University Wellington in 2012.
Tom Mitchell and John Brinsley-Pirie, co-convenors of the bid, told Critic that “organising a tournament of this size and prestige will be both a challenge and a privilege, [as will taking] charge of the experience that 300-plus visitors to Dunedin [will] have in our city and at our University. We have prepared an experienced Organising Committee staffed with senior members of the Debating Society and hope that other Universities in the Asia-Pacific region support our bid to bring Australs 2014 to Dunedin.”
Seb Templeton was announced last week as the Chief Adjudicator, who may be just a little self-promotional: he told Critic that “the competition promises to be very well judged.”
The tournament will be almost completely funded by the registration fees of those who attend. However, the organisers will also be approaching Dunedin businesses for funding and other sponsorship opportunities.
“Being so early into the bid process we don’t have a goal set, but [we] hope that the Dunedin business community will be supportive of our attempt,” organisers told Critic.
Following the revelation earlier this year that OUDS was receiving $25,000 in funding from the University for travel to international tournaments, Critic questioned whether OUDS would be applying for less funding in 2014 if the bid was successful. The organisers responded that “we are grateful for the support that Otago University has gifted to us in order to attend international debating tournaments.
“Australs is not the only tournament that has benefited from this funding, and if our bid is successful all Otago Debaters will still need to pay the registration fee for tournament costs and accommodation. In addition to the University funding, Debating Society members have run raffles, undertaken employment and borrowed money from family as no grant ever covers the entire cost of representing Otago at debating tournaments.”
A decision is expected in about three weeks. It is unknown which other universities have applied.
Debaters Flare N'Australs
