1982 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,226,800
• Increase since 31 December 1981: 32,300
• Males per 100 females: 98.6

  Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – The Hon Sir David Beattie GCMG GCVO QSO QC.

  Government

• Speaker of the House – Richard Harrison
• Prime Minister – Robert Muldoon
• Deputy Prime Minister – Duncan MacIntyre
• Minister of Finance – Robert Muldoon
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Warren Cooper
• Chief Justice — Sir Ronald Davison

  Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Bill Rowling until 3 February, then David Lange.
• 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 – Cliff Skeggs

  Events

• The first Kohanga reo kindergarten, Pukeatua, opens at Wainuiomata. Within 12 years there were more than 800 nationwide.
• Social Credit forms an agreement with National to back the Clyde Dam in exchange for policy concessions.
• The Clutha Development Empowerment Act was passed, overriding the High Court and Planning Tribunal.
• The proposed aluminium smelter at Aramoana was cancelled.
• The Social Credit Political League changes its name to the Social Credit Party.
• New Zealand provided assistance to the British during the Falklands War, primarily by taking over routine patrol duties elsewhere to free up British military resources.
• The Warehouse opens its first store, in Takapuna.
• January: The third Sweetwaters Music Festival is held near Pukekawa.
• 3 February: David Lange succeeds Bill Rowling as Leader of the Opposition.
• 4 April: New Zealand breaks diplomatic relations with Argentina over the Falklands Crisis.
• 22 June: Robert Muldoon announces a 12-month wage and price freeze. The freeze actually lasts almost two years.
• 14 September: Samoans who take up permanent residence in New Zealand are entitled to New Zealand citizenship from this date. This follows a case referred to the Privy Council which decided in July 1982 to allow all Samoans born under New Zealand administration to claim New Zealand citizenship.
• November: Mark Inglis and Philip Doole are stuck in an ice cave on Aoraki/Mount Cook for 14 days.
• 18 November: a suicide bomb attack was made against a facility housing the main computer database of the New Zealand Police in Wanganui by a "punk rock" anarchist named Neil Roberts. He was the only person killed, and the computer system was undamaged, see Terrorism in New Zealand.
• 14 December: Robert Muldoon signs a "Heads of Agreement" with Australia to allow the Closer Economic Relations agreement to come into force at the beginning of 1983.

  Arts and literature

• William Sewell wins the Robert Burns Fellowship

Music

• DD Smash produce their debut album, Cool Bananas.

  [New Zealand Music Awards]

• Album of the year: DD Smash – Cool Bananas
• Single of the year: Prince Tui Teka – E Ipo
• Top male vocalist: Dave Dobbyn
• *Malcolm McNeill
• *Monte Video
• Top female vocalist: Patsy Riggir
• *Suzanne Prentice
• * Trudi Green
• Top group of the year: DD Smash
• *Herbs
• *The Narcs
• Most promising male vocalist: Dave Dobbyn
• Most promising female vocalist: Jodi Vaughan
• Most promising group: Dance Exponents
• Polynesian record of the year: Prince Tui Teka – E Ipo
• Producer of the year: Ian Morris – Cool Bananas
• Engineer of the year: Paul Streekstra & Doug Rogers – Cool Bananas
• Sleeve design of the year: Wayne Robinson –Cool Bananas
• Outstanding contribution to music: Simon Grigg

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Don Linden.

  Radio and television

• FM Stereo transmissions were being tested. Radio Bay Of Plenty Limited, operating 1XX also in Whakatane, ran the first of many short-term summer stations.
• 1XX – FM 90.7 This station was the 1ST licensed FM Stereo Radio station in New Zealand. The station went to air at 4 pm on 5 January 1982 and went through to 31 January 1982 with the station on-air each day in two shifts: 4 pm – 8 pm & 8 pm – 12 am Midnight. Announcers: Chris Clarke,
• Te Karere, a Māori language news program, is trialled.
• Northern Television begins broadcasting morning television programs.
• Feltex Television Awards:
• *Best Information: Country Calendar
• *Best Documentary: Landmarks
• *Best News and Current Affairs: Close Up
• *Best Entertainment: Gliding On
• *Best Drama: Under the Mountain
• *Best Speciality: Kaleidoscope
• *Best Children's: Wild Track
• *Best New Talent: Olly Ohlson in After School
• *Best Actress: Susan Wilson in Mortimer's Patch and Gliding On
• *Best Actor: Bruce Allpress in Jocko
• *Steve Hosgood Award for Allied Craft: Robert Brown, cameraman
• *Best Television Entertainer: David McPhail and Jon Gadsby
• *Special Award: Ian Watkin for Service to the Industry
• *Best Script: Cry Wolf from Open File

Film

• Carry Me Back
• Battletruck
• The Scarecrow

Sport

Athletics

• Trevor Wright wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:19:34 on 3 April in Whangarei.

  Basketball

• Inaugural season of the NZ National Basketball League, won by Auckland.

  Commonwealth Games

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Bonnie's Chance
• Auckland Trotting Cup : Gammalite

Rugby union

• Australia tours and play 3 tests. These are won 2–1 by New Zealand, who win back the Bledisloe Cup
• Lion National Provincial Championship:
• *Division 1: Auckland
• *Division 2 : Taranaki
• *Division 2 : Southland
• The North vs South match is played in Wanganui and is won 22-12 by South.

  Shooting

• Ballinger Belt – John Hastie

  Soccer

• The All Whites reach the Football World Cup Finals in Barcelona, but lose all three games.
• New Zealand National Soccer League won by Mount Wellington
• The Chatham Cup is won by Mount Wellington who beat Miramar Rangers 1—0 after extra time in the final.

  Births

January to June

• 6 January – Roy Asotasi, rugby league player.
• 12 January – Tony Lochhead, football player.
• 17 January – Tim Weston, cricketer.
• 30 January – Shontayne Hape, rugby league player.
• 1 February – Sam Tuitupou, rugby union player.
• 5 March – Daniel Carter, rugby union player.
• 6 March – Jimmy Cowan, rugby union player.
• 20 March – Rory Fallon, football player.
• 22 March – Chris Smylie, rugby player.
• 24 March – James Napier, actor.
• 4 April – Andrea Hewitt, athlete.
• 19 April – Sitiveni Sivivatu, rugby union and sevens player.
• 3 May – Casey Laulala, rugby union player.
• 6 May – Eric Murray, rower, Olympic gold medallist
• 13 May – Mika Vukona, basketball player.
• 16 May – Jonathan Duncan, swimmer.
• 21 May – Ma'a Nonu, rugby union player.
• 22 June – Stu Mills, cricketer.

  July to December

• 1 July – James Pritchett, football player.
• 4 July – Jeff Lima, rugby league player.
• 6 July – Jeremy Yates, cyclist.
• 15 July – Neemia Tialata, rugby union player.
• 17 July – Eve van Grafhorst.
• 24 July – Anna Paquin, actress.
• 4 August – Juliette Haigh, rower, Olympic bronze medallist
• 15 August – Jason Eaton, rugby union player.
• 30 August – Russell Ward, skeleton racer.
• 7 September – Krystal Forgesson, field hockey player.
• 16 September – Lizzy Igasan, field hockey defender.
• 29 September – Joline Henry, netball player.
• 11 October – Cameron Knowles, football player.
• 17 November – Hollie Smith, singer-songwriter.

  Deaths

• 3 January 1982: Bernard O'Brien, philosopher and theologian.
• 18 February: Dame Ngaio Marsh writer and director.
• 1 March: Frank Gill, Air Commodore, politician.
• 1 March: Frank Sargeson, writer.
• 24 May: William Sheat, politician.
• 4 March : Dorothy Eden, novelist.
• 29 April: Ray Boord, politician.
• 9 June : Richard St. Barbe Baker, silviculturalist and conservationist.
• 11 June: Sir Valdemar Skellerup, industrialist.
• 13 June: John A. Lee politician and writer.
• 15 July: Don Beard, cricketer.
• 2 September: Clive Hulme, Victoria Cross winner.
• 19 September: Ted Badcock, cricketer.
• 8 October: Cora Wilding, physiotherapist and artist.
• 14 October: Andrew Davidson, educationalist
• 1 November : Eric Arthur, architect.
• 22 November : Jean Batten aviator.
• 2 December: Sir Robert Macfarlane, politician.
• 18 December: Ray Emery, cricketer.