Changes in 2026
This page details changes to ASD from previous years.
Entry Fees
- PA, PJ: $379.5 per team ($330 ex GST)
- AO: $287.5 per team ($250 ex GST)
- SO, and JO: $143 per team $149.5 per team ($130 ex GST)
- Seasonals and the Junior Championship: $115 ($100 ex GST)
- Impromptu Cup: $115 ($100 ex GST)
As in previous years, we will be offering fee subsidies to schools that need it. Schools can indicate their fee subsidy requests within their ASD registration forms.
Other Changes
The committee are proposing the trial of two changes to ASD during 2026:
Combining Advanced Open’s Northern Zone and Advanced Open’s Online Zone
Last year, ASD moved to created a online zone for Advanced Open in order to increase accessibility. This year, following us being inable to find an appropriate host school for Advanced Open’s Northern Zone, we have made the decision to combine AO’s Northern and Online Zones into one, combined, Online Zone. This new Online Zone will run on an alternating week to the AO Central Zone, and will be judged by university ASD-accredited adjudicators. This arrangement allows us to preserve the accessibility of Advanced Open for schools around Auckland whilst not overloading the AO Central Zone’s host school with too many teams. We appreciate this balance means schools who have previously attended AO in-person will now have to transition to online debating; however, we hope in future years to find a suitable host school for AO on the North Shore in Auckland so that this arrangement does not become permanant.
New Rules Related to the Use of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Assistance
Auckland Schools’ Debating has promulgated new rules related to the use of AI and other digital assistance in debating. We will be working with schools, students, teachers and grade convenors to implement these changes. You can view the new rules on our Rules page, linked here: https://aucklandschoolsdebating.org.nz/index.php/home/competitions/rules/.