1981 in New Zealand

← 1980 1979 1978 1981 in New Zealand → 1982 1983 1984
Decades:	1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
See also:	History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history

The following lists events that happened during 1981 in New Zealand.

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,194,500.^[1]
• Increase since 31 December 1980: 18,100 (0.57%).^[1]
• Males per 100 females: 98.7.^[1]

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• QC.^[2]

The 39th New Zealand Parliament, led by the National Party, concluded, and in the general election the party was re-elected in the 40th New Zealand Parliament. Support for the government decreased, however, with the Labour Party receiving the largest portion of the popular vote.

• Speaker of the House – Richard Harrison.^[3]
• Prime Minister – Robert Muldoon
• Deputy Prime Minister – Brian Talboys then Duncan MacIntyre.^[3]
• Minister of Finance – Robert Muldoon.^[3]
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Brian Talboys then Warren Cooper.^[3]
• Attorney-General – Jim McLay.^[3]
• Chief Justice — Sir Ronald Davison

Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Bill Rowling (Labour).^[4]
• Social Credit Party – Bruce Beetham

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – Colin Kay
• Mayor of Hamilton – Ross Jansen
• Mayor of Wellington – Michael Fowler
• Mayor of Christchurch – Hamish Hay
• Mayor of Dunedin – Clifford George (Cliff) Skeggs

Events

• January – Nambassa five-day celebration of music, crafts and alternative lifestyles culture on 250-acre (100 ha) farm at Waitawheta Valley between Waihi and Waikino. Attendance 20,000.
• January – The second Sweetwaters Music Festival is held near Ngāruawāhia.
• 11–16 April – Flooding in the Waikato causes over 2,250 people to evacuate their homes.^[5]
• 27 April – The Mahon Report into the crash of
  Justice Peter Mahon famously accuses Air New Zealand
  of telling "an orchestrated litany of lies".
• May – The first ATM in New Zealand was introduced in Wellington by the Northern Building Society.^[6]
• July – Passports reintroduced for New Zealanders travelling to Australia. The Australian Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drugs says the exemption was exploited; travel had not required passports following the 1972 Trans-Tasman Travel Agreement.
• 13 July – The
  1981 Springbok Tour
• 25 July –
  1981 Springbok Tour: The match between South Africa and Waikato at Rugby Park, Hamilton, is cancelled after 350 anti-apartheid protesters invade the pitch
  .
• 18 August – Four people are killed after a Silver Fern railcar derails near Waiouru.^[7]
• 13 September – The Springbok rugby team leave New Zealand.
• 14 October – Christopher John Lewis attempts to assassinate Elizabeth II.
• The
  Department of Māori Affairs
  .
• The Food Act 1981 is passed into law.
• The Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve is established

Arts and literature

• William Sewell wins the Robert Burns Fellowship

See 1981 in art, 1981 in literature, Category:1981 books

Music

New Zealand Music Awards

Winners are shown first and in boldface with nominees underneath.^[8]

• ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos – Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos
  • Dennis O'Brien – Still in the same Dream
  • Hammond Gamble – Hammond Gamble Band
• SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Coup D'État – Doctor, I Like Your Medicine
  • Blam Blam Blam – No Depression in New Zealand
  • Screaming Meemees – See Me Go
• TOP MALE VOCALIST: Dave McArtney (Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos)
  • Deane Waretinei
  • Hammond Gamble
• TOP FEMALE VOCALIST: Suzanne Prentice
  • Jenny Morris
  • Tina Cross
• TOP GROUP: Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos – Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos
  • Newmatics
  • Coup DE'tat
• MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST: Dave McArtney
  • Paul Schreider
  • David Hollis
  • Richard Eriwata
• MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST: Anne Dumont
  • Celine Toner
  • Jenny Morris
• MOST PROMISING GROUP:
  The Screaming Meemees
  • Blam Blam Blam
  • Pop Mechanix
• ENGINEER OF THE YEAR: Dave Hurley & Graham Myhre – Dave McArtney & the Pink Flamingos
  • Graham Myhre – Remember the Alamo
  • Gerry Smith – Still in the Same Dream
• PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: Bruce Lynch – Dave McArtney and the Pink Flamingos
  • James Hall – Breaking in Another Day
  • James Hall – Still in the Same Dream
• BEST COVER DESIGN: David Hollis – Caught Alive
  • Mark Clare – Broadcast O.R
  • Hal Chapman – Dave McArtney and the Pink Flamingos
• SPECIAL AWARD: Fred Smith – Services to the Recording Industry (particularly with regard to Copyright)

See: 1981 in music

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Marcus Craig.

Radio and television

• Feltex Television Awards:
  • Best Drama: Mortimer's Patch
  • Best Speciality: Sport on One – Sunday
  • Best Entertainment: Radio Times
  • Best Documentary: Moriori
  • Best Children's: Video Dispatch
  • Best Information: Country Calendar
  • Best Current Affairs:
    Close Up
  • Best Actor: Terence Cooper
  • Best Actress: Glynis McNicol
  • Best Script: Little Big Man Takes a Shot at the Moon
  • Best Television Entertainer: Hudson and Halls
  • Stan Hosgood Award for Allied Craft: Logan Brewer, Set designer for
    I Pagliacci

See:

• Pictures
• Race for the Yankee Zephyr
• Smash Palace
• Wildcat
• Dead Kids/Strange Behavior

See:

• Paul Ballinger wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:17:28 on 2 May in Rotorua, while Christine Munro claims her first title in the women's championship (2:56:04).

Chess

• The 88th
  Ewen McGowen Green, Ortvin Sarapu, and Vernon A. Small .^[9]

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Armalight^[10]
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Delightful Lady – 2nd win^[11]

• 13 June: The
  Carisbrook
• 20 June: The All Blacks beat Scotland 40–15 at Eden Park
• 15 August: The All Blacks beat
  1981 Springbok Tour
• 29 August: The All Blacks lost 12–24 to South Africa at
  Athletic Park
  as part of the 1981 Springbok Tour
• 12 September: The All Blacks beat South Africa 25–22 at Eden Park as part of the 1981 Springbok Tour
• 24 October: The All Blacks beat Romania 14–6 in Bucharest
• 14 November: The All Blacks beat France 13–9 in Toulouse
• 21 November: The All Blacks beat France 18–6 in Paris
• The North vs South match is played in Dunedin and won by North, 10-4^[12]

Shooting

• Ballinger Belt – Diane Blaymires (Te Puke)^[13]

Soccer

• The
  All Whites
  qualify for the 1982 Football World Cup
• Wellington Diamond United
• The
  Mount Wellington 3–1 in the final.^[14]

• 5 January: Corey Flynn, rugby player.
• 10 January: Hayden Roulston, professional cyclist.^[15]
• 21 January:
  Jason Williams
  , rugby player.
• 27 January:
  Tony Woodcock
  , rugby player.
• 29 January:
  Jake Adams
  , musician.
• 12 February: Daniel Braid, rugby player.
• 21 February: Tainui Tukiwaho, Actor.
• 6 March: Tim Brown, soccer player.
• 20 March:
  Jamaal Lolesi
  , rugby league player.
• 25 March: Mose Tuiali'i, rugby player.
• 27 March: Sione Faumuina, rugby league player.
• 30 April: Ali Williams, rugby player.
• 4 May: Kate Elliott, actor.
• 6 May:
  Jodi Te Huna
  , netball player.
• 10 May: Lloyd Stephenson, field hockey player.
• 19 May: Jamie How, cricketer.
• 25 May:
  Shelley Paikea
  , singer.
• 25 May: Matt Utai, rugby league player.
• 25 May: Motu Tony, rugby league player.
• 2 June: Brad Mika, rugby player.
• 9 June: Dean Couzins, field hockey player.
• 19 June: Moss Burmester, swimmer.
• 28 June: Demetrius "Savage" Savelio, rapper.
• 3 July:
  Tevita Latu
  , rugby league player.
• 31 July: Paul Whatuira, rugby league player.
• 31 July: Scott Talbot, swimmer and swimming coach.
• 3 August: Daniel Koprivcic, soccer player.
• 6 September: Te Atirau Paki, television presenter.
• 22 September: James Stosic, rugby player.
• 24 September: Michael Davidson, cricketer.

• 

  27 September: Brendon McCullum, cricketer.
• 29 September (in Germany): Shane Smeltz, soccer player.
• 29 October: Dwayne Cameron, actor
• 29 October (in Sydney): Jamie Waugh, writer.
• 24 November: Ian Butler, cricketer.
• 10 December: Caleb Ross, actor.
• 10 December: Conrad Smith, rugby player.
• 20 December: Leo Bertos, soccer player.

Category:1981 births

Deaths

• 29 January:
  J. A. W. Bennett
  , literary scholar.
• 23 March: Beatrice Tinsley, astronomer.
• 21 December: Iriaka Rātana, politician.
• Keith Murray, architect and ceramic designer.

See also

• List of years in New Zealand
• Timeline of New Zealand history
• History of New Zealand
• Military history of New Zealand
• Timeline of the New Zealand environment
• Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1981 in New Zealand.