Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championships
The Australiasian Intervarsity Debating Championships is one of the world's largest debating tournaments, second only in size to the World Universities Debating Championship, and one of the largest annual student events in the world. Rather than the British Parliamentary Style of 'Worlds', Australs follows a three-speakers-plus-replies World Schools Style format. Held annually during early July, it is run by the 'Australasian Intervarsity Debating Association' and is known colloquially as 'Australs'.
Since the inauguaral tournament at the University of Sydney in 1975, Australs has continually expanded the scope of its participants, now attracting around 300 competitors each year from around the Asia-Pacific region. Teams come from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, India, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, China, Japan and Singapore.
The best speaker of the tournament is awarded the 'Martin Sorenson Best Speaker Prize'. This year, the tournament is being hosted by New Zealand's Victoria University of Wellington.
Past Hosts and Champions
| Year | Hosts | Champions |
| 1975 | University of Sydney (Australia) | |
| 1976 | University of Melbourne (Australia) | |
| 1977 | ||
| 1978 | University of Sydney (Australia) | |
| 1979 | University of Sydney (Australia) | |
| 1980 | University of Canterbury (New Zealand) | Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) |
| 1981 | Monash University (Australia) | University of Sydney (Australia) |
| 1982 | Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) | Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) |
| 1983 | University of Adelaide (Australia) | |
| 1984 | University of New South Wales (Australia) | |
| 1985 | University of Auckland (New Zealand) | University of Sydney (Australia) |
| 1986 | University of Sydney (Australia) | |
| 1987 | Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) | University of Sydney (Australia) |
| 1988 | National University of Singapore (Singapore) | University of Sydney (Australia) |
| 1989 | Australian National University (Australia) | Australian National University (Australia) |
| 1990 | University of Adelaide (Australia) | University of Sydney (Australia) |
| 1991 | University of Melbourne (Australia) | Australian National University (Australia) |
| 1992 | University of Sydney (Australia) | Monash University (Australia) |
| 1993 | International Islamic University (Singapore) | Monash University (Australia) |
| 1994 | University of Tasmania (Australia) | Macquarie University (Australia) |
| 1995 | Monash University (Australia) | University of Sydney (Australia) |
| 1996 | Australian National University (Australia) | University of Sydney (Australia) |
| 1997 | Ateneo de Manila University (Philippines) | University of Sydney (Australia) |
| 1998 | University of Sydney (Australia) | Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) |
| 1999 | Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) | University of Sydney (Australia) |
| 2000 | Monash University (Australia) | Monash University (Australia) |
| 2001 | Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) | Monash University (Australia) |
| 2002 | University of Melbourne (Australia) | University of Melbourne (Australia) |
| 2003 | Multimedia University (Malaysia) | University of Sydney (Australia) |
| 2004 | University of Technology, Sydney (Australia) | Monash University (Australia) |
| 2005 | University of Queensland (Australia) | University of Sydney (Australia) |
| 2006 | Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) | 5PM 9 July, Renouf Foyer, Michael Fowler Centre |
Best Speaker
The Best Speaker Award was first given in 1989. In 1994, it became the 'Martin Sorenson Best Speaker Prize' in honour of the Monash University debater.
| Year | Speaker | University |
| 1989 | Richard Douglas | Australian National University (Australia) |
| 1990 | Richard Newcombe | Australian National University (Australia) |
| 1991 | Julian Beckedahl | Monash University (Australia) |
| 1991 | Rufus Black | University of Melbourne (Australia) |
| 1992 | Martin Sorenson | Monash University (Australia) |
| 1993 | Martin Sorenson | Monash University (Australia) |
| 1994 | Tony Burke | University of Sydney (Australia) |
| 1994 | Christian Porter | University of Western Australia (Australia) |
| 1995 | Christian Porter | University of Western Australia (Australia) |
| 1995 | Matthew Richardson | University of New South Wales (Australia) |
| 1996 | Lizzie Knight | Monash University (Australia) |
| 1996 | Phillip Senior | University of Western Australia (Australia) |
| 1997 | Chris Fladgate | Monash University (Australia) |
| 1998 | Praba Ganesan | De La Salle University-Manila (Philippines) |
| 1999 | Dan Celm | Monash University (Australia) |
| 2000 | Kim Little | Monash University (Australia) |
| 2001 | Steve Bell | University of Melbourne (Australia) |
| 2002 | Tim Sonnreich | Monash University (Australia) |
| 2003 | Tim Sonnreich | Monash University (Australia) |
| 2004 | Mathew Kenneally | Australian National University (Australia) |
| 2005 | Ivan Ah Sam | University of Sydney (Australia) |
See also
- European Universities Debating Championship
- North American Debating Championship
- World Universities Debating Championship
- List of debaters