1981 in New Zealand

Population

* Estimated Population as of 31 December: 3,194,500 http://www.stats.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/24107FC8-E7B5-4CF2-B17C-15E31CCA7D05/0/HistoricalPop.xls]
* Increase since 31/12/1980: 18,100 (0.57%)
* Males per 100 Females: 98.7

Incumbents

Regal and Vice Regal

*Head of State - Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand
*Governor-General - The Hon. Sir David Beattie GCMG GCVO QSO QC. [Statistics New Zealand: "New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990". ISSN 0078-0170 page 52]

Government

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. Lambert & Palenski: "The New Zealand Almanac", 1982. ISBN 0908570554]
*Prime Minister - Robert Muldoon
*Deputy Prime Minister - Brian Talboys then Duncan MacIntyre.
*Minister of Finance - Robert Muldoon.
*Minister of Foreign Affairs - Brian Talboys then Warren Cooper.
*Attorney-General - Jim McLay.

Parliamentary opposition

* Leader of the Opposition - Bill Rowling (Labour). [Cite web|url=http://www.elections.org.nz/democracy/leaders-opposition.html|title=Elections NZ - Leaders of the Opposition|accessdate=2008-04-06]
*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

* The Kohanga reo scheme is established by the Department of Māori Affairs.

* January: Nambassa five day celebration of music, crafts and alternative lifestyles culture on 250 acre farm at Waitawheta Valley between Waihi and Waikino. Attendance 20,000.
* January: The second Sweetwaters Music Festival is held near Ngaruawahia.

* 3 May: The first newspaper published on a Sunday in New Zealand; initially called the New Zealand Times.

* July 13: Springbok rugby union team arrive in New Zealand to begin the 1981 Springbok Tour

* September 13: The Springbok rugby team leave New Zealand.

Arts and literature

*William Sewell wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.

See 1981 in art, 1981 in literature,

Music

New Zealand Music Awards

*ALBUM OF THE YEAR Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos - Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos
*SINGLE OF THE YEAR Coup D'État – Doctor, I Like Your Medicine
*TOP MALE VOCALIST Dave McArtney (Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos)
*TOP FEMALE VOCALIST Suzanne Prentice
*TOP GROUP Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos - Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos
*MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST Dave McArtney
*MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST Anne Dumont
*MOST PROMISING GROUP The Screaming Meemees
*ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Dave Hurley & Graham Myhre - Dave McArtney & the Pink Flamingos
*PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Bruce Lynch - Dave McArtney and the Pink Flamingos
*BEST COVER DESIGN David Hollis – Caught Alive
*SPECIAL AWARD Fred Smith - Services to the Recording Industry (particularly with regard to Copyright)

See: 1981 in music

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 "Hunters Gold", "Gather Your Dreams", "Children of Fire Mountain", "I Pagliacci"

See: 1981 in New Zealand television, 1981 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, , , Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

*Pictures (film)
*Race for the Yankee Zephyr
*Smash Palace
*Wildcat (film)
*Dead Kids / Strange Behaviour

See: , 1981 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand,

Appointments and awards

See: New Zealand Order of Merit , Order of New Zealand
*Archbishop of New Zealand
*Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia , see appointments to Diocese

Sport

Athletics

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

Cricket

*1 February: Australian Trevor Chappell bowled an underarm delivery to batsman Brian McKechnie in a One-day International cricket match, the third of five matches in the final of the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup.

Rugby Union

* June 13: The All Blacks beat Scotland 11-4 at Carisbrook
* June 20: The All Blacks beat Scotland 40-15 at Eden Park
* August 15: The All Blacks beat South Africa 14-9 at Lancaster Park as part of the 1981 Springbok Tour
* August 29: The All Blacks lost 12-24 to South Africa at Athletic Park as part of the 1981 Springbok Tour
* September 12: The All Blacks beat South Africa 25-22 at Eden Park as part of the 1981 Springbok Tour
* October 24: The All Blacks beat Romania 14-6 in Bucharest
* November 14: The All Blacks beat France 13-9 in Toulouse
* November 21: The All Blacks beat France 18-6 in Paris

* See: 1981 in sports , , Commonwealth Games (Check name).
*Rugby: , National Provincial Championship , , Bledisloe Cup, Ranfurly Shield
*Cricket: Various Tours, New Zealand cricket team , Chappell-Hadlee Trophy , Cricket World Cup
*Golf: New Zealand Open , Check in overseas tourniments.
*Horse racing: See , list winners.
*Rugby league New Zealand Warriors , Bartercard Cup , New Zealand national rugby league team , Rugby League World Cup
*Netball: Silver Ferns , National Bank Cup , Netball World Championships

Soccer

* The All Whites qualify for the 1982 Football World Cup
* New Zealand National Soccer League won by , Wellington Diamond United
* Chatham Cup won by Dunedin City

Births

* 5 January: Corey Flynn, rugby player.
* 10 January: Hayden Roulston, professional cyclist. [ [http://www.cyclingwebsite.net/coureurfiche.php?coureurid=4699 Hayden ROulston profile] ]
* 21 January: Jason Williams, rugby player.
* 27 January: Tony Woodcock, rugby player.
* 29 January: Jake Adams, musician.
* 12 February: Daniel Braid, rugby player.
* 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.
* 18 June: Teresa Cormack, child murder victim.
* 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-Cameron, swimmer.
* 3 August: Daniel Koprivcic, soccer player.
* 6 September: Te Atirau Paki, television presenter.
* 22 September: James Stosic, rugby player.
* 27 September: Brendon McCullum, cricketer.
* 29 September (in Germany): Shane Smeltz, soccer player.
* 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.

Deaths

* 23 March: Beatrice Tinsley, astronomer.
* 21 December: Iriaka Matiu Ratana, politician.

* J. A. W. Bennett, literary scholar.
* Keith Murray, architect and ceramic designer.

References

ee also

*List of years in New Zealand
*Timeline of New Zealand history
*History of New Zealand
*Military history of New Zealand
*Timeline of environmental history of New Zealand
*Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica

"For world events and topics in 1981 not specifically related to New Zealand see": 1981