1991 in New Zealand explained

The following lists events that happened during 1991 in New Zealand.

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,516,000.^[1]
• Increase since 31 December 1990: 40,900 (1.18%) Note that there is a discontinuity between the 1990 and 1991 figures as Statistics NZ switched from using the de facto population concept to estimated resident population.
• Males per 100 Females: 99.7

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – The Hon Dame Catherine Anne Tizard, GCMG, GCVO, DBE, QSO^[2]

Government

The 43rd New Zealand Parliament continued. Government was The National Party, led by Jim Bolger. National controlled nearly seventy percent of the seats in Parliament.

• Speaker of the House – Robin Gray
• Prime Minister – Jim Bolger
• Deputy Prime Minister – Don McKinnon
• Minister of Finance – Ruth Richardson
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Don McKinnon
• Chief Justice — Sir Thomas Eichelbaum

Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Mike Moore (Labour) .^[3]
• NewLabour Party – Jim Anderton

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – Les Mills
• Mayor of Hamilton – Margaret Evans
• Mayor of Wellington – Jim Belich
• Mayor of Christchurch – Vicki Buck
• Mayor of Dunedin – Richard Walls

Events

January

• 2 January: description

April

• 17 April: Prime Minister Jim Bolger stated, "We intend to keep New Zealand nuclear-free this term, next term, and the term after that."^[4]

July

• 22 July The Resource Management Act 1991 passes into law after a third reading speech by Simon Upton.^[5]

October

• 1 October The Resource Management Act 1991 commences

December

Arts and literature

• Lynley Hood wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.

See 1991 in art, 1991 in literature,

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Debbie Dorday.

Radio and television

• CanWest takes management control of TV3. http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz/pdf/tvnz_timeline.pdf

See: 1991 in New Zealand television, 1991 in television, List of TVNZ television programming,, TV3 (New Zealand),, Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

• A Soldier's Tale
• Chunik Bair
• Grampire
• Old Scores
• Te Rua
• The End of the Golden Weather

See:, 1991 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand,

Internet

See: NZ Internet History

Sport

Athletics

• Paul Herlihy wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:13:34 on 2 March in New Plymouth, while Lee-Ann McPhillips claims her first in the women's championship (2:40:12).

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup – Christopher Vance^[6]
• Auckland Trotting Cup – Christopher Vance^[7]

Thoroughbred racing

Shooting

• Ballinger Belt –
  • Graeme Berman (Australia)
  • Geoffrey Smith (Malvern), second, top New Zealander^[8]

Soccer

• The Chatham Cup is won by Christchurch United who beat Wellington United 2–1 in the final.^[9]

Births

January

• 1 January – Peter Burling, sailor
• 3 January – Joe Kayes, water polo player
• 4 January – Olivia Tennet, actor
• 5 January – Shane Savage, Australian rules footballer
• 7 January
  • Stephen Shennan, rugby union player
  • Ben Smith, cricketer
• 13 January – Mako Vunipola, rugby union player
• 16 January – James Lentjes, rugby union player
• 17 January
  • Kate Chilcott, road cyclist
  • Slade Griffin, rugby league player
  • Brad Weber, rugby union player
• 27 January
  • Beth Chote, actor
  • Sebastine Ikahihifo, rugby league player
• 28 January
  • Jordan Kahu, rugby league player
  • Mike Kainga, rugby union player
• 29 January – Luke Whitelock, rugby union player
• 30 January
  • Mitchell Graham, rugby union player
  • Matthew Wright, rugby league player

February

• 2 February
  • Caitlin Campbell, association footballer
  • Solomona Sakalia, rugby union player
• 3 February – Lima Sopoaga, rugby union player
• 7 February – Ben Murdoch-Masila, rugby league player
• 14 February – Michael Bracewell, cricketer
• 15 February - Matt McEwan, cricketer
• 16 February – Francis Saili, rugby union player
• 18 February
  • Danielle Hayes, fashion model
  • Stacey Michelsen, field hockey player
• 19 February – Ethan Mitchell, track cyclist
• 20 February – Julia Edward, rower

March

• 2 March – Mitchell Scott, rugby union player
• 4 March – Sue Maroroa, chess player
• 12 March
  • Alofa Alofa, rugby union player
  • Jed Brown, rugby union player
• 14 March
  • Taylor Gunman, road cyclist
  • Kurt Pickard, BMX racer
• 16 March – Michael Barry, cricketer
• 17 March – Dylan Dunlop-Barrett, swimmer
• 19 March – Colin Murphy, association footballer
• 20 March – Liam Squire, rugby union player
• 22 March
  • Jordan Grant, field hockey player
  • Amy McIlroy, lawn bowls player
• 23 March – Jenny Hung, table tennis player
• 25 March – Ryan Duffy, cricketer
• 26 March – Courteney Lowe, road cyclist
• 30 March – Jono Hickey, cricketer and rugby union player
• 31 March – Codie Taylor, rugby union player

April

• 1 April
  • Graham Candy, singer-songwriter
  • Iopu Iopu-Aso, rugby union player
• 2 April
  • Kara Pryor, rugby union player
  • Brad Shields, rugby union player
• 4 April – Sam Meech, sailor
• 6 April – Paratene McLeod, basketball player
• 9 April – Dominic Bird, rugby union player
• 10 April - Kirsten Pearce, field hockey player
• 17 April – Augusta Xu-Holland, actor
• 20 April – Daniel Hawkins, rugby union player
• 26 April – Isaac Liu, rugby league player
• 27 April – Dylan Collier, rugby union and rugby league player
• 29 April – Steven Luatua, rugby union player
• 30 April – Brett Hampton, cricketer

May

• 2 May – Patrick Bevin, road cyclist
• 3 May – Hannah Wall, association footballer
• 5 May – Joel Faulkner, rugby union player
• 7 May – Kenny Ardouin, cleft lip and palate community advocate
• 8 May – Waisake Naholo, rugby union player
• 9 May
  • Sosaia Feki, rugby league player
  • Harriet Miller-Brown, alpine skier
• 10 May – Gareth Anscombe, rugby union player
• 11 May – Tony Ensor, rugby union player
• 12 May
  • Elizabeth Chuah Lamb, high jumper
  • Greg Pleasants-Tate, rugby union player
• 15 May – Matt Moulds, rugby union player
• 20 May – Daryl Mitchell, cricketer
• 24 May – Ian McPeake, cricketer
• 25 May
  • Maritino Nemani, rugby union player
  • James Raideen, professional wrestler
• 27 May
  • Beauden Barrett, rugby union player
  • Kayla Pratt, rower
• 31 May – Brodie Retallick, rugby union player

June

• 3 June
  • Sarah McLaughlin, association footballer
  • Ava Seumanufagai, rugby league player
• 4 June
  • Matt McIlwrick, rugby league player
  • Ben Stokes, cricketer^[10]
• 5 June – Chloe Tipple, sports shooter
• 7 June – Amanda Landers-Murphy, squash player
• 9 June – Ben Lam, rugby union player
• 11 June – Nepo Laulala, rugby union player
• 13 June – Lachie Ferguson, cricketer
• 19 June – Zoe Stevenson, rower
• 23 June – Mikhail Koudinov, gymnast
• 25 June – Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, rugby union player
• 26 June – Dakota Lucas, association footballer

July

• 1 July
  • Annalie Longo, association footballer
  • Ruby Muir, endurance athlete
• 7 July – Matt Hewitt, surfer
• 12 July – Portia Woodman, rugby union player
• 16 July – Sam Webster, track cyclist
• 20 July
  • Jarrad Butler, rugby union player
  • Sam Lousi, rugby league and rugby union player
• 24 July – Derone Raukawa, basketball player
• 27 July – Ricky Wells, speedway rider
• 28 July – Priyanka Xi, actor
• 31 July – Tony Lamborn, rugby union player

August

• 2 August
  • Tom Bruce, cricketer
  • Rob Thompson, rugby union player
• 5 August
  • Gareth Evans, rugby union player
  • Konrad Hurrell, rugby league player
  • Robert Loe, basketball player
• 13 August – Michael Cochrane, athlete
• 16 August – Angie Smit, athlete
• 22 August - Kenny Bromwich, rugby league player
• 29 August – Samantha Harrison, field hockey player
• 30 August – Ben Tameifuna, rugby union player

September

• 2 September – Adam Henry, rugby league player
• 4 September – Chevannah Paalvast, basketball player
• 5 September – Nepia Fox-Matamua, rugby union player
• 9 September – Adam Ling, rower
• 11 September – Rebecca Sinclair, snowboarder
• 13 September – Lee Allan, rugby union player
• 14 September – Ryan De Vries, association footballer
• 16 September – Luke Rowe, association footballer
• 19 September – Owen Ivins, cricketer
• 23 September – Cardiff Vaega, rugby union player
• 26 September – Look Who's Talking, thoroughbred racehorse
• 29 September – Stefi Luxton, snowboarder

October

• 5 October – Gareth Kean, swimmer
• 7 October – Stefan Marinovic, association footballer
• 12 October – Nabil Sabio Azadi, artist
• 15 October – Mandy Boyd, lawn bowls player
• 19 October – Michael Allardice, rugby union player
• 22 October – Levi Sherwood, freestyle motocross rider
• 26 October – Blair Soper, cricketer
• 27 October – Il Vicolo, standardbred racehorse
• 28 October – Duane Bailey, basketballer
• 29 October – Parris Goebel, dancer, choreographer and actor
• 31 October – Charles Piutau, rugby union player

November

• 5 November – Marco Rojas, association footballer
• 6 November – Matt Faddes, rugby union player
• 10 November - Ben Wheeler, cricketer
• 11 November – Kate Broadmore, cricketer
• 13 November – David Light, boxer
• 15 November – Henry Nicholls, cricketer
• 20 November – Tim Simona, rugby league player
• 21 November – Peni Terepo, rugby league player
• 22 November – Michael Vink, cyclist
• 24 November – Richie Stanaway, motor racing driver
• 27 November – Brooke Duff, singer-songwriter

December

• 1 December – Richard Moore, motor racing driver
• 3 December – Jarrod Firth, rugby union player
• 7 December
  • Samantha Charlton, field hockey player
  • Chris Wood, association footballer
• 11 December – Kahurangi Taylor, beauty pageant contestant
• 13 December – Ruby Tui, rugby sevens player
• 14 December
  • Ben Henry, rugby league player
  • Matt Henry, cricketer
• 22 December – Paul Alo-Emile, rugby union player

Exact date unknown

• Holly Cassidy, beauty pageant contestant
• Annah Mac, singer-songwriter

Deaths

January–March

• 4 January – Vernon Sale, cricketer (born 1915)
• 12 February – Norman Fisher, boxer (born 1916)
• 17 February – Fuzz Barnes, political activist (born 1902)
• 18 February – Elizabeth Lissaman, potter (born 1901)
• 9 March – Esther Blackie, cricketer (born 1916)
• 14 March – Emily Carpenter, consumer advocate (born 1917)
• 17 March – Peter Gordon, politician (born 1921)
• 21 March – William Ditchfield, cricketer (born 1903)
• 28 March – Henry Field, educational psychologist (born 1903)

April–June

• 3 April – Peter Hooper, writer (born 1919)
• 9 April – June Litman, journalist (born 1926)
• 14 April – Bob Page, rowing coxswain (born 1936)
• 20 April – Clare Mallory, children's writer (born 1913)
• 28 April – Ngata Pitcaithly, educationalist (born 1906)
• 18 May – Horace Smirk, medical academic (born 1902)
• 31 May
  • Maida Clark, school principal, politician, community leader (born 1902)
  • Ian Milner, public servant, academic, alleged spy (born 1911)
• 6 June – Stella Jones, playwright (born 1904)
• 10 June – Jim Burrows, rugby union player and coach, cricketer, military leader (born 1904)
• 18 June – Eric Halstead, politician and diplomat (born 1912)
• 23 June – Charles Begg, radiologist and historian (born 1912)
• 28 June – Sydney Josland, bacteriologist (born 1904)

July–September

• 3 July – Trevor Horne, politician (born 1920)
• 17 July – John O'Sullivan, cricketer (born 1918)
• 21 July – Allan Wilson, biochemistry academic (born 1934)
• 7 August
  • Billy T. James, entertainer (born 1948)
  • Reginald Keeling, politician (born 1904)
• 8 August – John Marsdon, cricketer (born 1928)
• 22 August – Reuel Lochore, public servant and diplomat (born 1903)
• 25 August – Charles Willocks, rugby union player (born 1919)
• 17 September – Herb Mullon, philatelist (born 1905)
• 25 September – Te Reo Hura, Rātana leader (born 1904)
• 29 September – Sir Henry Kelliher, businessman and philanthropist (born 1896)

October–December

• 6 October – Bob Loudon, rugby union player (born 1903)
• 10 October – Jack Hunt, speedway rider (born 1921)
• 12 October – Murray Kay, association footballer (born 1905)
• 13 October – Sir William Gentry, military leader (born 1899)
• 22 October – Francis O'Brien, cricketer (born 1911)
• 25 October – Roy Parsons, bookseller (born 1909)
• 26 October – Clive Boyce, local-body politician (born 1918)
• 8 November – Billy Savidan, athlete (born 1902)
• 9 November – Jack Newton, rugby league player (born 1920)
• 10 November
  • Bill Gwynne, cricket umpire (born 1913)
  • Colin Johnstone, rower (born 1921)
• 11 November – Sir Tom Skinner, politician and trade union leader (born 1909)
• 12 November – Kamal Bamadhaj, human rights activist (born 1970)
• 24 November – Allan Pyatt, Anglican bishop (born 1916)
• 28 November – Te Kari Waaka, Ringatū minister and community leader (born 1916)
• 1 December
  • Zin Harris, cricketer (born 1927)
  • Jim Knox, trade union leader (born 1919)
• 2 December – Ted Spillane, rugby league player (born 1905)
• 6 December – Bill Beattie, photographer (born 1902)
• 12 December – Julia Wallace, educationalist, politician, community leader (born 1907)
• 20 December
  • Beatrice Beeby, Playcentre pioneer (born 1903)
  • Wi Huata, clergyman (born 1917)
• 21 December – Frank Solomon, rugby union player (born 1906)
• 24 December – Muriel Moody, potter and sculptor (born 1907)

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

Notes and References

1. 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.
2. Web site: >Former Governors-General of New Zealand . 2008-09-15 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071012031110/http://www.gg.govt.nz/gg/former.htm . 12 October 2007 . dmy .
3. 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.
4. http://www.vdig.net/hansard/archive.jsp?y=1991&m=10&d=16&o=24&p=35 New Zealand Parliamentary Debate Wednesday, 16 October 1991
5. (July 1991) 51b Hansard, Resource Management Bill Third Reading, 3018–3020.
6. 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 .
7. http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/major_race2.htm Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz
8. 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 .
9. http://www.nzsoccer.com/page/chatham_cup_records.html Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com
10. Web site: Ben Stokes: He's all smiles but is this the new Flintoff? . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/ben-stokes-he-s-all-smiles-but-is-this-the-new-flintoff-2274163.html . 1 May 2022 . subscription . live . The Independent . 9 January 2022 . en . 23 April 2011.