In 1971 the Australian Debating Federation held the inaugural National Schools’ Debating Championships in Sydney. South Australia defeated Victoria in the Grand Final to become Australia’s first national champions. For information on the SA Schools’ State Debating Team please click here.

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Selection in the State Team is a commendable achievement and follows a rigorous selection process. Each year the team is accompanied by two coaches and two adjudicators interstate to compete at the National Schools’ Debating Championships. The following individuals have represented South Australia:

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2023 - Melbourne

Coach - Jessica March, Shiva Mukherjee & Evelyn Vincin Walker

Adjudicators - Jessica March & Georgia Zhang

Team

1. Devika Mukherjee (C) (Wilderness) 

2. Phoebe Chalmers (Seymour College)

3. Max Thomas (PAC)

4. Thomas Henchliffe (PAC)

R. Isabella Teague (Seymour College)

R. Nicholas Henchliffe (PAC)

R. Alexander Koh (SPSC)

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2022 - Canberra

Coach - Madeleine McNeil, Jessica March & Shiva Mukherjee

Adjudicators - Shiva Mukherjee & Angus Brosnan 

Team 

1. Devika Mukherjee (C) (Wilderness) 

2. Max Thomas (PAC) 

3. Xander Grice (SPSC) 

4. Phoebe Chalmers (Seymour College) 

R. Thomas North (PAC)

R. Nick Henchcliffe (PAC)

R. Matilda Byrnes (St Ignatius) 

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2021 - Hobart 

Coach - Ashwini Ravindran, Madeleine McNeil & Shiva Mukherjee

Adjudicators - Zoë Chalmers & Madeleine McNeil 

Team 

1. Winter Birkett (C) (Scotch College)

2. Devika Mukherjee (Wilderness) 

3. Max Thomas (PAC)

4. Thomas North (PAC)

R. Kyan Jenkins (PAC)

R. Xander Grice (SPSC)

R. Minka Dorsey (Seymour)

 

2020 - Online! 

Coach - Will Thomas & Ashwini Ravindran 

Adjudicators - Madeleine McNeil & Kate Munn

Team

1. Shiva Mukherjee (C) (SPSC)

2. Olivia Whyte (Seymour)

3. Jessica March (Seymour)

4. Winter Birkett (Scotch College)

R. Thangam Verghese (Scotch College)

R. Ishani Sood (Wilderness)

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2019 - Northern Territory

Coach - Will Thomas & Madeleine McNeil

Adjudicators - Kate Munn & Zoe Chalmers

Team

1. Shiva Mukherjee (C) (SPSC)

2. Olivia Whyte (Seymour)

3. Onor Nottle (Scotch College)

4. Edmund Black (PAC)

R. Jessica March (Seymour)

R. Steph Madigan (Unley High)

R. Georgia Zhang (Glenunga)

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2018 - Perth

Coach - Will Thomas, Tyson Leung & Soraya Pradhan 

Adjudicators - Ana Kosmynina & Will Thomas

Team

1. Zoe Chalmers (C) (Seymour)

2. Ashwini Ravindran (Wilderness)

3. Shiva Mukherjee (SPSC)

4. Olivia Whyte (Seymour)

R. Onor Nottle (Scotch)

R. Luke Bardy (PAC)

R. Angus Brosnan (PAC) 

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2017 - Brisbane 

Coach - Charlie Bruce, Tyson Leung & Helena Karapetis 

Adjudicators - Soraya Pradhan & Will Thomas

Team

1. Zoe Chalmers (C) (Seymour)

2. Madeleine McNeil (Wilderness)

3. Shiva Mukherjee (SPSC)

4. Onor Nottle (Scotch College) 

R. William Ritossa (SPSC)

R. Yash Giri (PAC)

R. Angus Brosnan (PAC)

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2016 - Sydney 

Coach - Soraya Pradhan

Adjudicators - Gordon Wicks & Hamish Richardson

Team

1. Alexei Economou (C) (SPSC)

2. Alexander Lai De Oliveira (Golden Grove High School)

3. Madeleine McNeil (Seymour)

4. Zoe Chalmers (Seymour)

R. Laura Hanlon (Seymour)

R. Indran Mukherjee (SPSC)

R. Onor Nottle (Scotch College)

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2015 - Adelaide 

Coach - Lloyd Wicks & Soraya Pradhan 

Team

1. Britt Mashado (C) (Seymour)

2. Alexandra Lowe (Seymour)

3. Helena Karapetis (Wilderness)

4. Will Thomas (Blackfrairs)

R. Alexei Economou (SPSC)

R. Alexander Lai De Oliveria (Golden Grove High School)

R. Indran Mukherjee (SPSC)

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2014 

Team

1. Hamish Richardson (C) (Christian Brothers College)

2. Tyson Leung (Walford)

3. Peter Robertson (SPSC)

4. Sarah Abell (Seymour)

R. Helena Karapetis (Wilderness)

R. Alex Lowe (Seymour)

R. Hamish Litt (SPSC)

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2013

Team

1. Zoe Brown (C) (Seymour)

2. Soraya Pradhan (Seymour)

3. Tyson Leung (Walford)

4. Peter Robertson (SPSC)

R. Hamish Richardson (Christian Brothers College)

R. Sarah Abell (Seymour)

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2012

Team

1. Gordon Wicks (C) (SPSC)

2. Zoe Brown (Seymour)

3. Soraya Pradhan (Seymour)

4. Luke Lehman’s (Cornerstone College)

R. Peter Robertson (SPSC)

R. Sarah Abell (Seymour)

R. Tyson Leung (Walford)

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2010

Team

1. Charlotte Thomas (C) (Seymour)

2. Ben Bishop (SPSC)

3. Charlie Bruce (SPSC)

4. Candice Caretti (St. Ignatius’)

5. Bree Nicolo (Seymour)

R. Alyssa Pradhan (Seymour)

R. Gordon Wicks (SPSC)

 

2009 

Coach – Todd Golding & Warwick Ambrose

Team

1. Charlotte Thomas (C) (Seymour)

2. Charlie Bruce (SPSC)

3. Bree Nicolo (Seymour)

4. Eleanor Wilcox (St. Dominic’s Priory School)

R. Ben Bishop (SPSC)

R. Candice Caretti (St. Ignatius’)

 

2008

Coach – Todd Golding & Genevieve Lewis

Adjudicator – Anna Baulderstone

1. Rebecca McEwen (C) (Loreto)

2. Jack Batty (Scotch)

3. Patrick McCaffrie (St. Ignatius’)

4. Lloyd Wicks (SPSC)

R. Charlotte Thomas (Seymour)

R. Samuel Williams (Scotch)

 

2007

1. Warwick Ambrose (Marryatville High School)

2. Susanne Nicholson (St. Peter’s Girls)

3. Eleni Watts (Walford)

4. Lloyd Wicks (SPSC)

R. Jack Batty (Scotch)

R. Rebecca McEwen (Loreto)

 

2000 - Melbourne

Coach - Rob Koh

Adjudicator - Tom Webb

1. Enzo Belperio (SPSC)

2. Laura Thomas (Brighton High School)

3. Aparna Rao (Brighton High School)

4. Liana Williams (Norwood Morialta High School)

R. Chad Catterwell (Blackfriars)

R. Ann Sibree (Walford)

 

1999 - Canberra

Coach - Rob Koh

Adjudicator - Tom Webb

1. Simon Buscai (CBC)

2. Enzo Belperio (SPSC)

3. Laura Thomas (Brighton High School)

4. Kim Anderson (SPSC)

R.Sarah Newport (Brighton High School)

R.Nicola Malone (Wilderness)

 

1998 - Darwin

Coach - Rob Koh

Adjudicator - Todd Golding

1. Caroline Croser (St. Peter's Girls)

2. Caitlin Gill (Loreto)

3. Alison Lloyd-Wright (Glenunga High School)

4. James Messner (PAC)

R.Kim Anderson (SPSC)

R.Laura Thomas (Brighton High School)

 

1997 - Perth

Coach - Cressida Wall

Adjudicator - Todd Golding

1. Mark Thompson (Trinity)

2.Roland Dillon (CBC)

3. Caitlin Gill (Loreto)

4. Matthew Anderson (Brighton High School)

R.Alison O'Reilly (St. Dominic's)

R.Alison Lloyd-Wright (Glenunga High School)

 

1996 - Adelaide

Coach - Simon Slade

Adjudicator - Cressida Wall

1. Mark Thompson (Trinity)

2. Jeremy Hillman (Concordia)

3. Beth Fullgrave (Wilderness)

4. Roland Dillon (CBC)

R. Carolus Walraven (Concordia)

R. Brett Hill (SPSC)

 

1995 - Hobart

Coach - Simon Slade

Adjudicator - Cressida Wall

1. Shom Goel (PAC)

2. Rohan Hoote (SPSC)

3. Will Rayner (PAC)

4. Justina Gardiner (Loreto)

R. Tali Costi (Heathfield

 

1994 - Melbourne

Coach - George Karzis

Adjudicator - Geroge Salvenera

1. Andrew Gormley (C) (SPSC)

2. Todd Golding (CBC)

3. Phillip Ivancic (CBC)

4. Andrew Dwyer (Poultney)

R. Tomm Webb (Adelaide High School)

R. Christina Mignone (Loreto)

 

1993 - Canberra

Coach - George Karzis

Adjudicator - Jo Dyer

1. Simon Poulton (C) (PAC)

2. Todd Golding (CBC)

3. Phillip Ivancic (CBC)

4. Andrew Gormley (SPSC)

R.Tomm Webb (Adelaide High School)

R.Caroline Gill (Loreto)

 

1992 - Gold Coast

Coach - Anthony Durkin

Adjudicator - Jo Dyer

1. Jade Herriman (C) (Adelaide High School)

2. Rob Koh (PAC)

3. Victoria Bannon (Walford)

4. Kym Taylor (Wilderness)

R.Andrew Gormley (SPSC)

 

1991 - Hobart

Coach - Anthony Durkin

Adjudicator - Jo Dyer

1. Anthony Jucha (C) (St. Michael's)

2. Gessida Wall (Loreto)

3. Jewel Topsfield

4. Michael Goldberg (PAC)

 

1990 - Melbourne

Coach - Tracey Korsten

Adjudicator - George Karzis

1. Andre Fagrizio (C)

2. Tim Gow

R. Matt Giblin

 

1989 - Sydney

Coach - Anthony Durkin

Adjudicator - Jo Dyer

1. Nick Ryan (C) (St. Ignatius')

2. Annabell Crabb (Wilderness)

3. Michael Dwyer (Pultney)

4. Neil McIntosh (Pembroke)

 

1988 - Brisbane

Coach - Anthony Durkin

1. Kate Thornton (Saint Peter's Girls)

2. Nick Ryan (St. Ignatius')

3. Kamal Farouque (Norwood High School)

4. Any Barrett (Henley High School

 

1987 - Perth

Coach - Anthony Durkin

Adjudicator - Francis Greenslade

1. Jo Dyer (C) (Seymour)

2. Kate Thornton (Saint Peter's Girls)

3. Amy Barrett (Henley High School)

4. Ian Richardson (Pembroke)

 

1986 - Adelaide

Coach - Anthony Durkin

Adjudicator - Martin Hislop

1. Grantley Newell (C) (St. Ignatius')

2. Jo Dyer (Seymour)

3. Kate Thornton (Saint Peter's Girls)

4. James Greentree (Pembroke)

 

1985 - Melbourne

Coach - Anthony Durkin

Adjudicator - Graham Edwards-Wilson

1. George Karzis (C) (Pultney)

2. Grantley Newell (St. Ignatius')

3. Daniel O'Connor (St. Ignatius')

4. Alan Hayward (Salisbury East High School)

 

1984

Coach - Simon Stretton

Adjudicator - Julie McIntyre

1. James Mullighan (C) (Pultney)

2. Antra Hood

3. Christine Barnden

4. Christian Legg

 

1983 - Canberra

Coach - Michael Blinman

Adjudicator - Anthony Durkin

1. Sarah Dunn (C) (Loreto)

2. Farah Farouque (Norwood High School)

3. Simon Slade (Pultney)

4. Brenton James (St. Paul's)

 

1982 

Coach - Peter Adamson 

Adjudicator - Matthew Mitchell 

1. Margaret Illman (C)

2. Colleen Sheedy (St. Dominic's) 

3. Andrew Scobie (Pulteney Grammar) 

4. Brenton James (St Paul's)

 

1981 

1. Grant Kelly (C) (Poultney)

 

1980 - Gold Coast

Coach - Peter Admason

Adjudicator - Neville Smith

Team

1. David Crocker (C) (St. Paul's)

2. Anthony Hogan (St. Paul's)

3. Nicola Atchison (Heathfield High School)

4. Grant Kelly (Poultney)

 

1979 - Perth

Coach - Neville Smith

Adjudicator - Peter Adamson

Team

1. Anthony Durkin (C) (St. Paul's)

2. Anne Moore (Saint Peter's Girls)

3. David Crocker (St. Paul's)

4. Mark Purvis (St. Michael's)

 

1978 - Adelaide

Coach - Neville Smith

Adjudicator - Peter Adamson

Team

1. Anthony Crocker (C) (St. Paul's) 

2. Doug Rills (SPSC) (deceased)

3. Jennifer Goodale (Woodlands)

4. Anthony Durkin (St. Paul's)

R. Warwick Nettle (SPSC)

 

1977 - Sydney

Coach - Neville Smith

Adjudicator - Nadia McLaren

Team

1. Susanne Cole (C) (Woodlands) 

2. Anthony Crocker (St. Pauls)

3. Sidhra De Souza

4. Sue Boyce

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Unfortunately our records are incomplete. If you have more information regarding the past history of the SA State Team please contact us at president.sada@gmail.com