1987 in New Zealand explained
The following lists events that happened during 1987 in New Zealand.
Population
- Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,342,100.[1]
- Increase since 31 December 1986: 28,600 (0.86%).
- Males per 100 Females: 97.9.
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal
Government
The 41st New Zealand Parliament, led by the Labour Party, concluded, and in the general election the party was re-elected in the 42nd New Zealand Parliament. The election also saw the elimination of the Democratic Party (formerly known as the Social Credit Party) from Parliament, leaving Labour and National as the only parties with representation.
Parliamentary opposition
Main centre leaders
Events
- 1 January – Unleaded petrol is introduced, with unleaded 91-octane fuel replacing "regular" 91-octane leaded fuel. "Super" 96-octane remains leaded.[4] [5]
- January, February – Māori loan affair continues.
- 17 February – A bus on a field trip from Woodford House school in Havelock North rolls down a bank near , 50km (30miles) west of Hastings. Five people (two students, two teachers and the bus driver) are killed and at least 17 are injured.[6] [7]
- 2 March – Edgecumbe earthquake in the Bay of Plenty.
- 19 May – Air New Zealand Flight 24, en route from Tokyo to Auckland, is hijacked at Nadi International Airport, Fiji while on a scheduled refuelling stop.
- 22 May–20 June – Inaugural Rugby World Cup hosted by both New Zealand and Australia, and won by New Zealand.
- June – The New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act is passed.
- 19 June – Six-year-old Teresa Cormack goes missing in Napier. Her body is found eight days later.[8]
- July – The Māori Language Act makes Māori an official language.
- 1 August – The first Lotto draw takes place.
- 15 August – The 1987 general election is held.
- August – Telecom launches New Zealand's first mobile phone network.[9]
- 20 October – The New Zealand stock market crashes following Black Monday on Wall Street. Share prices fell by 59 percent over four months.
- 3 November – McDonald's opens its first restaurants in the South Island at Linwood and Merivale, Christchurch.[10]
- December – New Zealand's first heart transplant takes place at Green Lane Hospital, for Brian Lindsay.
Arts and literature
See 1987 in art, 1987 in literature,
Music
Winners are shown first with nominees underneath.[11]
- ALBUM OF THE YEAR Herbs – Sensitive to a Smile
- SINGLE OF THE YEAR Dave Dobbyn – You Oughta Be in Love
- BEST MALE VOCALIST Dave Dobbyn
- Charles Tumahai (Herbs)
- Martin Phillips (The Chills)
- BEST FEMALE VOCALIST Shona Laing
- Betty-Anne Monga (Ardijah)
- Patsy Riggir
- BEST GROUP The Chills
- MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST Al Hunter
- Wayne Elliot (Knightshade)
- David Parker (Rhythm Cage)
- MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST Moana Maniapoto Jackson Moana and the Moahunters
- Darlene Adair
- Kara Pewhairangi
- MOST PROMISING GROUP Bonga And Harwood
- INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT Neil Finn
- Dave Dobbyn
- The Chills
- Shona Laing
- Kiri Te Kanawa
- BEST VIDEO Matt Box Films – Sensitive to a Smile (Herbs)
- Kerry Brown/ Bruce Sheridan – Glad Im Not A Kennedy (Shona Laing)
- Paul Middleditch – The Game of Love (Tex Pistol)
- BEST FILM SOUNDTRACK Dave Dobbyn – Footrot Flats
- Various Artists – Queen City Rocker
- BEST PRODUCER Dave Dobbyn – Footrot Flats
- Billy Kristian – Sensitive to a Smile (Herbs)
- Ian Morris – The Game of Love (Tex Pistol)
- BEST ENGINEER Ian Morris – The Game of Love (Tex Pistol)
- Roland Morris / Nick Morgan – Ardijah
- Doug Rogers / Rhys Moody – Brand New Doll
- Tim Field – Out for the Count
- BEST JAZZ ALBUM Mike Nock / Frank Gibson, Jr. – 'Open Door'
- Brian Smith – Brian Smith
- The Umbrellas – The Umbrellas
- BEST CLASSICAL ALBUM Gillian Weir – Music to the Sun King
- NZ Symphony Orchestra – Music By Douglas Lilburn
- Margaret Neilson – Sea Changes
- BEST COUNTRY ALBUM Al Hunter – Neon Cowboy
- Jodi Vaughan – Straight From The Heart
- Patsy Riggir – Close To Thee
- BEST FOLK ALBUM Beverly Young – Bushes & Briar
- Phil Garland – Hunger in the Air
- Paul Mesters – Pacific Pilgrim
- BEST GOSPEL ALBUM Jules Riding – Heart Strings
- Patsy Riggir – Close To Thee
- Darlene Adair – Darlene Adair
- BEST POLYNESIAN ALBUM Herbs – E Papa – Jah Knows
- BEST CAST ALBUM Stewart Macpherson – Pirates of Penzance
- Philip Norman – Love Off The Shelf
- Thomas Baker – The Conductor's Shoes
- BEST SONGWRITER Charles Tumahai/ Dilworth Karaka – Sensitive to a Smile (Herbs)
- Dave Dobbyn – You Oughta Be in Love
- Shona Laing – Glad Im Not A Kennedy
- BEST COVER Philip Trusttum – Songdance (Mike Herron)
- Peter Bennett – Elephunkin
- Reston Griffiths – Footrot Flats
See: 1987 in music
Performing arts
Radio and television
See: 1987 in New Zealand television, 1987 in television, List of TVNZ television programming,, TV3 (New Zealand),, Public broadcasting in New Zealand
- Auckland Radio 1ZB becomes Newstalk 1ZB creating the first Newstalk ZB station.
- 1ZM Auckland becomes Classic Hits 1251 creating the first Classic Hits station, other New Zealand radio stations do not take the Classic Hits branding until 1993/94.
Programme debuts
- 20 April – Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (Network 2).[12]
- 1 August – Lotto (Network 2)
Film
See:, 1987 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand,
Sport
Rugby
Athletics
- Peter Renner wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:15:32 on 22 November in Wiri, while Jillian Costley claims her first in the women's championship (2:39:33).
Harness racing
Shooting
Soccer
Births
- 7 January: Michael McGlinchey, football player
- 27 January: Ben Te'o, rugby league player
- 28 January: Steven O'Dor, football player
- 13 February: Frank-Paul Nu'uausala, rugby league player
- 18 February: Maria Tutaia, netball player
- 22 February: Lesley Cantwell, race walker
- 3 March: Jacob Spoonley, football player
- 17 March: Krisnan Inu, rugby league player
- 18 March: Clarissa Eshuis, hockey player
- 20 March: David Richardson, actor
- 27 March: Victor Vito, rugby union player
- 7 April: Jaimee Kaire-Gataulu, actor
- 10 April: Hayley Westenra, soprano
- 11 April: Joseph Sullivan, rower Olympic gold medallist (2012 Summer Olympics 2012 London)
- 29 April: Tim Winitana, rugby league player
- 6 May: Katrina Grant, netball player
- 29 May: Issac Luke, rugby league player
- 7 June: Daniel Logan, actor
- 8 June: Joshua Brodie, cricketer
- 4 July: Chris James, football player
- 8 July: Alana Barber, race walker
- 22 July: Sam Bewley, racing cyclist
- 1 September: Dann Hume, singer-songwriter, drummer, and producer
- 16 September: Rongo Brightwell, singer
- 2 October: Anita Punt, hockey player
- 7 October: Jeremy Brockie, football player
- 10 October: Colin Slade, rugby union player
- 30 November: Miguel Start, rugby league player
- 9 December: Polly Powrie, sailor, Olympic gold medallist (2012 Summer Olympics 2012 London)
- 14 December: Lauren Boyle, swimmer
- 23 December: Owen Franks, rugby union player All Black (2009–)
.
Deaths
- 16 January Colin Scrimgeour, minister and broadcaster.
- 13 February: Curly Page, cricketer.
- 29 May: Bryan Todd, businessman (born 1902)
- 31 May: Wilfrid Mervyn Lusty, journalist, drama critic, theatre administrator and adult educationalist
- 16 July: Harry Ayres, guide and mountaineer.
- 4 August: Cecil Burke, cricketer.
- 14 October: John Rangihau, academic and leader of Tuhoe iwi.
- 27 December: Rewi Alley, writer and member of the Chinese Communist Party.
- Alfred E. Allen, politician.
- Johnnie Hoskins, motorcycle speedway pioneer.
- Norman Jones, politician.
- Colin McCahon, artist.
- Denis Rogers, mayor of Hamilton.
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
- 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. dmy-all.
- News: Harford . John . 8 January 1987 . New petrol warning from A.A. . . 1 . Papers Past.
- News: 14 January 1987 . Official welcome for petrol . . 6 . Papers Past.
- News: Schoolgirls among five killed in bus crash . 18 February 1987 . The Press . 1.
- News: No explanation for bus crash . 19 February 1987 . The Press . 2.
- News: Wilson . Dave . 22 June 1987 . Police fear for life of missing child . 1 . .
- Web site: Pullar-Strecker . Tom . 2017-08-26 . 30 years of mobile phones in NZ - from 'transportable' to indispensible [sic]. 2022-06-11 . Stuff . en.
- Web site: First McDonald's restaurants in the South Island celebrate 30 years. Stuff. en. 2019-10-06.
- Web site: Awards 1987. Listing. NZ Music Awards. 28 September 2012.
- News: 20 April 1987 . Television and radio . . 15.
- 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 . dmy-all .
- http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/major_race2.htm Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz
- Web site: New Zealand champion shot / Ballinger Belt winners . National Rifle Association of New Zealand . 11 October 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150125012900/http://www.nranz.com/competitions/ballinger_belt . 25 January 2015 .
- http://www.nzsoccer.com/page/chatham_cup_records.html Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com
