| Miss Universe New Zealand Organization | |
| Type: | Beauty pageant |
| Headquarters: | Auckland |
| Location: | New Zealand |
| Membership: | Miss Universe |
| Language: | English |
| Leader Title: | Director |
| Leader Name: | MU NZ Team |
Miss Universe New Zealand is a national beauty pageant in New Zealand which selects the delegates to participate in the international Miss Universe competition. Qualification for Miss Universe New Zealand is based on regional pageants and/or personal interviews (necessary due to lack of regional pageant in some areas).[1]
New Zealanders have contested 44 Miss Universe pageants since its inception in 1952 and is one of 33 countries to win the title. After no entrants were sent to Miss Universe in 2004 and 2005, a new national pageant, Miss Universe New Zealand, was created in 2006.
New Zealand's most successful entrant came in 1983 when Lorraine Downes won the Miss Universe title. The country's only other top five placing came when Delyse Nottle was second runner-up to Shawn Weatherly in 1980. New Zealand has also had three semi-finalist placings, in 1962, 1981 and 1992.
New Zealand is one of only 12 countries to win two or more Miss Photogenic awards, won by Carole Robinson (1969), Delyse Nottle (1980), and Samantha MacClung (2015).
The pageant will allow between the ages of 18 and 27 and are a New Zealand citizen.
Below is Miss New Zealand who did not compete at Miss Universe, since the coronation was held before Miss Universe happened in 1952.'
| Year | Region | Miss New Zealand | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | Otago | Thelma McMillan | |
| 1927 | Otago | Dale Austen | |
| colspan=4 | |||
| 1947 | Otago | Mary Wooton | K. W. Kilpatrick directorship |
| colspan=4 | |||
| 1949 | Taranaki | Mary Woodward | |
| Region | Titles | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Otago | 3 | 1926, 1927, 1947 |
| Taranaki | 1 | 1949 |
On occasion, when the winner does not qualify (due to age) for either contest, a runner-up is sent.
| Year | Region | Miss New Zealand | Placement at Miss Universe | Special awards | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MU New Zealand directorship — a franchise holder to Miss Universe from 2024 | ||||||
| 2024 | Franki Russell[2] of Otago was withdrawing from the title of Miss Universe New Zealand. The national director, Yugen also quit from the organization. A new team took over the license and the new winner in 2024 competed at Miss Universe 2024, in Mexico. | |||||
| Nigel Godfrey directorship — a franchise holder to Miss Universe between 2013―2019 | ||||||
| colspan=6 | ||||||
| 2019 | Auckland | Diamond Langi | Unplaced | Previously, Langi made the semifinals at Miss Earth 2017 as Miss Earth Tonga. | ||
| 2018 | Auckland | Estelle Curd | Unplaced | |||
| 2017 | Hawke's Bay | Harlem-Cruz Atarangi Ihaia | Unplaced | |||
| 2016 | Auckland | Tania Pauline Dawson | Unplaced | |||
| 2015 | Canterbury | Samantha McClung | Unplaced |
| ||
| 2014 | Wellington | Rachel Maree Millns | Unplaced | |||
| 2013 | Auckland | Unplaced | ||||
| Val Lott directorship — a franchise holder to Miss Universe between 2006―2012 | ||||||
| 2012 | Auckland | Unplaced | Pageant winner Avianca Böhm lost the crown after failing to gain New Zealand citizenship.[3] | |||
| 2011 | Wellington | Priyani Puketapu | Unplaced | |||
| 2010 | Auckland | Unplaced | ||||
| 2009 | Auckland | Katie Taylor | Unplaced | |||
| 2008 | Wellington | Samantha Powell | Unplaced | |||
| 2007 | Canterbury | Laural Barrett | Unplaced | |||
| 2006 | Auckland | Elizabeth Gray | Unplaced | |||
| Dennis Brown directorship — a franchise holder to Miss Universe between 1992―2003 | ||||||
| colspan=6 | ||||||
| 2003 | Wellington | Sharee Adams | Unplaced | |||
| colspan=6 | ||||||
| 2001 | Māori | Kateao Nehua Jackson | Unplaced | |||
| 2000 | Auckland | Tonia Peachey | Unplaced | |||
| 1999 | Auckland | Kristy Wilson | Unplaced | |||
| 1998 | Auckland | Rosemary Rassell | Unplaced | |||
| 1997 | Auckland | Marina McCartney | Unplaced ranked 15th | |||
| 1996 | Auckland | Sarah Brady | Unplaced | |||
| 1995 | Auckland | Shelley Edwards | Unplaced | |||
| 1994 | Auckland | Nicola Brighty | Unplaced | |||
| 1993 | Auckland | Karly Kinnaird | Unplaced | |||
| 1992 | Auckland | Lisa Maree de Montalk | Top 10 | |||
| John Wansbrough (TV New Zealand) directorship — a franchise holder to Miss Universe between 1979―1991 | ||||||
| colspan=6 | ||||||
| 1989 | Auckland | Shelley Soffe | Unplaced | |||
| 1988 | Auckland | Unplaced | ||||
| 1987 | Auckland | Ursula Kim Ryan | Unplaced | |||
| 1986 | Auckland | Christine Atkinson | Unplaced | |||
| 1985 | Auckland | Claire Glenister | Unplaced | |||
| 1984 | Auckland | Tania Clague | Unplaced | |||
| 1983 | Auckland | Miss Universe 1983 | Miss Mount Maunganui 1983 — Winner of Dancing with the Stars season 2. | |||
| 1982 | Auckland | Sandra Helen Dexter | Unplaced | |||
| 1981 | Auckland | Donella Thomsen | Top 12 | |||
| 1980 | Auckland | Delyse Nottle | 2nd Runner-up |
| ||
| 1979 | Auckland | Andrea Kake | Unplaced | |||
| Joe Brown directorship — a franchise holder to Miss Universe between 1960―1978 | ||||||
| 1978 | Auckland | Jane Simmonds | Unplaced | |||
| 1977 | Auckland | Donna Anne Schultze | Unplaced | |||
| 1976 | Auckland | Janey Kingscote | Unplaced | |||
| 1975 | Auckland | Barbara Ann Kirkley | Unplaced | |||
| colspan=6 | ||||||
| 1974 | Auckland | Dianne Deborah Winyard | Unplaced | |||
| 1973 | Auckland | Pamela King | Unplaced | |||
| 1972 | Auckland | Liv Hanche Olsen | Unplaced | The main winner, Kristine Allan, Miss New Zealand 1972 did not compete, due to unknown reasons. | ||
| 1971 | Auckland | Linda Jane Ritchie | Unplaced | |||
| 1970 | Auckland | Glenys Elizabeth Treweek | Unplaced | |||
| 1969 | Auckland | Carole Robinson | Unplaced |
| ||
| 1968 | Auckland | Christine Mary Antunovic | Unplaced | |||
| 1967 | Auckland | Pamela McLeod | Unplaced | |||
| 1966 | Auckland | Heather Gettings | Unplaced | |||
| 1965 | Auckland | Gay Lorraine Phelps | Unplaced | |||
| 1964 | Auckland | Lyndal Ursula Cruickshank | Unplaced | |||
| 1963 | Auckland | Regina Ellen Scandrett | Unplaced | Elaine Miscall, Miss New Zealand 1963 did not compete at Miss Universe but Miss World; she became a runner-up at Miss World competition. | ||
| 1962 | Wellington | Leslie Margaret Nichols | Top 15 | The original Miss New Zealand 1962 was Maureen Te Rangi Rere I Waho Kingi who did not present at Miss Universe 1962. | ||
| 1961 | Auckland | Leonie Mains | colspan=3 | |||
| 1960 | Auckland | Lorraine Nawa Jones | Unplaced | |||
| Auckland Star and NZ Truth Newspaper directorship — a franchise holder to Miss Universe between 1954―1957 | ||||||
| colspan=6 | ||||||
| 1957 | Auckland | Arlenne Nesgitt | colspan=3 | |||
| colspan=6 | ||||||
| 1954 | Bay of Plenty | Moana Manley | Unplaced | |||
| Region | Titles | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland | 47 | 1957, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019 |
| Wellington | 5 | 1962, 2003, 2008, 2011, 2014 |
| Canterbury | 2 | 2007, 2015 |
| Otago | 1 | 2024 |
| Hawke's Bay | 2017 | |
| Māori | 2001 | |
| Bay of Plenty | 1954 | |
The delegates who represented New Zealand at Miss Universe 1992-1996 also represented New Zealand at Miss World the year before they competed at Miss Universe. The only one of these delegates to place at Miss World was Lisa Marie de Montaulk, who was a semi-finalist in both pageants.