Hunting for the year's best quote

Steve Hansen's "Just my arm" has made the short list for quote of the year. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Public voters will help judges find the best quip of 2015.

Apoliticised ponytail, Steve Hansen's arm and Jonah Lomu feature in the short-list of Massey University's hunt for the best quote of the year.

The 10 witty, telling or moving quotes go to a public vote from today.

Competition organiser and one of the judges, Heather Kavan, a Massey teacher of speech-writing, said this year there was "a shift away from political rhetoric to some very human moments".

Last year's winner was blogger Cameron Slater, with 21 per cent of the 4197 votes cast: "I play politics like Fijians play rugby. My role is smashing your face into the ground."

The short-list is chosen by Massey's journalism, communication and marketing academics from dozens of quotes nominated by students and the public.

The competition aims to find the wittiest, most memorable or most moving quote uttered by a New Zealander this year.

Voting opens online today and closes on December 16.

Dr Kavan's favourite on the shortlist was from Philip Morgan QC during the Mark Lundy murder retrial.

"I think it's masterful. After interminable debates about fine points of evidence, these 10 simple words created an unforgettable image that did more than just condemn Lundy, they reminded us of the victim."

Dr Kavan started the competition in 2010 because her students had trouble identifying memorable New Zealand lines.

• You can vote for your favourite quote of the year here.