1979 in New Zealand explained
The following lists events that happened during 1979 in New Zealand.
Population
- Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,163,900.[1]
- Increase since 31 December 1978: -1,300 (−0.04%).
- Males per 100 females: 99.0.
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal
Government
Parliamentary opposition
Main centre leaders
Events
- 10 January – A fire destroys the Farmers' Co-operative Association department store in Blenheim, aided by strong northwesterly winds and a 33C temperature.[5]
- February: Muhammed Ali came to New Zealand; staying at Upper Hutt (photos).[6]
- 17 February – an Air New Zealand Fokker F27 Friendship crashed into Manukau Harbour while on final approach to Auckland Airport 1 crew and 1 company staff member were killed.[7]
- 19 March – Cessna aircraft en route from Palmerston North to Taupo crashed onto the Desert Rd in bad weather, killing all 6 occupants
- 24 May – Labour MP Malcolm Douglas is removed from Parliament six months after the 1978 general election, after an electoral petition by National opponent Winston Peters is upheld over irregularities in the votes of the electorate. Peters subsequently replaces Douglas
- 30 July – The carless days scheme is introduced, restricting private motor vehicles from driving on one day of the week.[8]
- 8 August – 1979 Abbotsford landslip: Sixty-nine homes in the Dunedin suburb of Abbotsford are left uninhabitable after of land slips 48 metres in 15 minutes.
- 20 September – The New Zealand Federation of Labour holds a 24-hour general strike to protest government intervention in the drivers' award. Around 300,000 workers, mainly in the manufacturing and transport industries, participate in the strike.[9] [10]
- 3 November – The Evening Star ceases publication. The Dunedin newspaper was founded in 1863.[11]
- 28 November – Air New Zealand Flight 901 crashes in Mount Erebus, Antarctica, killing all 237 passengers and 20 crewmembers aboard.
- Two years after its official opening, the new executive wing of Parliament Buildings, known as the Beehive, is completed and occupied by the Government.[12]
Arts and literature
See 1979 in art, 1979 in literature,
Music
- ALBUM OF THE YEAR Street Talk – Street Talk
- SINGLE OF THE YEAR Th' Dudes – Be Mine Tonight
- TOP MALE VOCALIST Rob Guest
- TOP FEMALE VOCALIST Sharon O'Neill
- TOP GROUP Th' Dudes
- MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST Jon Stevens
- MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST Tina Cross
- MOST PROMISING GROUP Street Talk
- PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Steve Robinson – This Heart This Song
- ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Gerry Smith – This Heart This Song
- BEST COVER DESIGN Geoff Chunn, Peter Burt & Dale Wrightson – Just Drove Through Town
See: 1979 in music
Performing arts
Radio and television
- Feltex Television Awards:
See: 1979 in New Zealand television, 1979 in television, List of TVNZ television programming,,, Public broadcasting in New Zealand
Film
See:, 1979 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand,
Sport
Athletics
- Tony Good wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:18:47.3.
Chess
Horse racing
Harness racing
Motorsport
Netball
Soccer
Births
- 27 January: Daniel Vettori, cricketer
- 1 February: Peter Fulton, cricketer
- 15 February: Hamish and James Marshall, cricketers
- 28 February: Olivia Baker, weightlifter
- 4 March: Ben Fouhy, canoeist
- 12 March: Ben Sandford, skeleton racer
- 15 March: Kyle Mills, cricketer
- 20 March: Keven Mealamu, rugby union player
- 26 March: Ben Blair, rugby union player
- 12 May (In Nadi, Fiji): Amasio Valence, rugby sevens player
- 15 May (in Samoa): Chris Masoe, rugby union player.
- 8 June: Adine Wilson, netball player.
- 2 July: Michael Papps, cricketer.
- 13 July: Ladyhawke, singer-songwriter
- 3 October: Rodney So'oialo, rugby union player
- 8 November: Brad Leonard, cricketer
- 14 November: Carl Hayman, rugby union player
- 20 November: Maree Bowden, netball player
- 3 December: Daniel Bedingfield, pop singer
- Pete Wheeler, artist.
Deaths
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Historical population estimates tables . https://web.archive.org/web/20171231000952/http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/historical-population-tables.aspx . 31 December 2017 . Statistics New Zealand.
- Statistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52
- Lambert & Palenski: The New Zealand Almanac, 1982.
- Web site: Elections NZ – Leaders of the Opposition. 6 April 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081017200326/http://www1.elections.org.nz/democracy/leaders-opposition.html. 17 October 2008. dead.
- News: 11 January 1979 . Wind-fanned flames gut whole block in Blenheim’s biggest fire . 1 . .
- Web site: When Muhammad Ali was a huge hit in Upper Hutt . Stuff (Fairfax) . 2023 .
- Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Fokker F-27 Friendship 500 NK-NFC Manukau Harbour. 27 February 2005. Aviation Safety Network.
- Dominion Post, 29 July 2017 page A12: "Couldn't car-less"
- Web site: Derby . Mark . 11 March 2010 . Strikes and labour disputes - The decline of the arbitration system . Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
- News: 21 September 1979 . Factories go out but offices and shops go on . 1 . .
- Web site: Allied Press History . https://web.archive.org/web/20060831215722/http://www.alliedpress.co.nz/history.php . dead . 31 August 2006 . .
- Web site: The Beehive - Executive Wing . www.parliament.nz . 19 August 2020 . en.
- http://www.poisonpawn.co.nz/nzcftitles.htm List of New Zealand Chess Champions
- Web site: List of NZ Trotting cup winners . 6 May 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120222233106/http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/nz_trotting_cup.htm . 22 February 2012 . dead .
- http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/major_race2.htm Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz
- http://www.nzsoccer.com/page/chatham_cup_records.html Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com