1986 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,313,500
• Increase since 31 December 1985: 10,400
• Males per 100 Females: 97.9

  Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – The Rt Revd. Sir Paul Reeves GCMG GCVO QSO

  Government

• Speaker of the House – Gerard Wall
• Prime Minister – David Lange
• Deputy Prime Minister – Geoffrey Palmer
• Minister of Finance – Roger Douglas
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – David Lange
• Chief Justice – Sir Ronald Davison

  Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Jim McLay until 26 March, then Jim Bolger.

  Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – Catherine Tizard
• Mayor of Hamilton – Ross Jansen
• Mayor of Wellington – Ian Lawrence then Jim Belich
• Mayor of Christchurch – Hamish Hay
• Mayor of Dunedin – Cliff Skeggs

  Events

• 16 February – Mikhail Lermontov sinks in the Marlborough Sounds.
• 26 March – Jim Bolger replaces Jim McLay as leader of the National Party.
• 21 June – The Wanganui Herald publishes its last issue. The paper started in 1865 as The Evening Herald.
• 9 July – Parliament passes the Homosexual Law Reform Bill, 49 votes to 44; the law comes into effect on 8 August.
• 1 October – GST is introduced at a rate of 10%.
• 22 November – Pope John Paul II visits New Zealand for two days.
• December – The Royal Commission on the Electoral System produces a report recommending the adoption of a mixed member proportional electoral system.
• 13 December – The Constitution Act is passed, ending the right of the British Parliament to pass laws on behalf of New Zealand.
• 16 December – Māori loan affair raised by Winston Peters in Parliament.

  Arts and literature

• Cilla McQueen wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.

Music

[New Zealand Music Awards]

• ALBUM OF THE YEAR Peking Man – Peking Man
• *The Verlaines – Halleujah
• *Patsy Riggir – Patsy Riggir Country
• SINGLE OF THE YEAR Peking Man – "Room That Echoes"
• *Ardijah – Give Me Your Number
• *Patea Maori Club featuring Dalvanius – E Papa
• BEST MALE VOCALIST Pat Urlich
• *Malcolm McNeill
• *Sonny Day
• BEST FEMALE VOCALIST Margaret Urlich
• *Betty Monga
• *Annie Crummer
• BEST GROUP Peking Man
• *The Patea Maori Group
• *Satellite Spies
• MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST Tex Pistol
• *Simon Alexandra
• *Lyonel Grant
• MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST Tania Rowles
• *Ainsley Day
• *Liz Diamond
• MOST PROMISING GROUP Ardijah
• *Chrome Safari
• *Wentworth Brewster & Co
• INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT Herbs
• *The Chills
• *Michael Roy Croft
• BEST VIDEO Kerry Brown – As The Sun Goes Down
• *Stuart Dryborough – Good Luck To You
• *Fetus Productions/MEC – Flicker
• BEST PRODUCER Bruce Lynch – Peking Man
• *Ryan Monga/ Dave McArtney/ Trevor Reekie – Give Me Your Number
• *Glyn Tucker – I Wish I'd Asked –
• BEST ENGINEER Graeme Myhre – Peking Man
• *Ian Morris – Ballad of Buskin Bob
• *Paul Streekstra/Graham Myhre – Give Me Your Number
• *Graham Myhre – Drive Baby Drive
• BEST JAZZ ALBUM Phil Broadhurst Trio–Iris
• *John Niland – Inside
• *Alan Broadbent Trio – Further Down The Road
• BEST CLASSICAL ALBUM NZ Symphony Orchestra – A Song of Islands
• *Besser & Prosser – Dark Wind/Spring Rain
• *Eugene & Nicolai Albulescu – Rhapsody
• *Mina Foley / Michael Gifford – Mina Foley / Michael Gifford
• BEST COUNTRY ALBUM Patsy Riggir – Patsy Riggir Country
• *Suzanne Prentice – In Concert
• *Michael Roy Croft – Slow Burnin'
• BEST FOLK ALBUM Various Artists – Send The Boats Away
• *Chris and Lyn Thompson – Together
• *Boys of Spirit NZ Trust – Sea Shanties
• BEST GOSPEL ALBUM Samoan Congregational Christian Church Choir – Matou Te Fia Sauna
• *Paul and Colleen Trenwith and Friends – Brand New Day
• *Ray Watson – Asaph -Throne of Love
• BEST POLYNESIAN ALBUM The Five Stars – Flower of Samoa
• *O Savali A Keriso – E Le Mavae Le Alofa
• *Mahia Blackmore – Little Tui
• BEST SONG OF THE YEAR Dave Dobbyn – Slice of Heaven
• *Ryan Monga – Give Me Your Number
• *Dance Exponents – Caroline Skies
• BEST COVER Phil O'Reilly – Peking Man
• *Ngila Dickson – As the Sun Goes Down
• *Paula & Graham Reid – This Sporting Life

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Johnny Bond.

  Radio and television

• The State Owned Enterprises Act requires all State-owned enterprises, including Television New Zealand, to operate as commercially successful businesses.

Film

• Mark II
• Pallet on the Floor
• Queen City Rocker

Sport

Athletics

• John Campbell wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:15:19 on 1 June in Christchurch, while Sharon Higgins claims her first in the women's championship.

  Commonwealth Games

Cricket

• New Zealand achieve historic test series wins over Australia and England.

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Master Mood
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Comedy Lad

  Shooting

• Ballinger Belt –
• *Mark Buchanan
• *Chester Burt, second, top New Zealander

  Soccer

• The Chatham Cup is won by North Shore United who beat Mount Maunganui 4–2 on aggregate in the two-legged final.

  Births

• 2 January: Nathan Cohen, rower, Olympic gold medallist
• 15 January: Isaia Toeava, rugby player.
• 29 January: Steven Broad, singer.
• 12 February: Ashwath Sundarasen, actor.
• 13 February: Hamish Bond, rower, Olympic gold medallist
• 17 February: Steven Old, soccer player.
• 4 March: Manu Vatuvei, rugby player.
• 5 March: Sean Eathorne, cricketer.
• 5 March: Joel Watson, figure skater.
• 17 March : Corney Swanepoel, swimmer.
• 4 April: Richard Petherick, field hockey player.
• 20 April: Cameron Duncan, director and screenwriter
• 21 April : Ryan Kersten, basketballer.
• 5 May: Cole Tinkler, soccer player.
• 6 May: Tanerau Latimer, rugby player
• 15 May: Jo Aleh, sailor, Olympic gold medallist
• 4 September: Michael Murphy, singer.
• 16 September: Willie Lonsdale, cricketer.
• 24 September: Todd Astle, cricketer.
• 30 September: Martin Guptill, cricketer.
• 7 October: Amy Satterthwaite, cricketer.
• 14 October: Teresa Bergman, singer.

  Deaths

• 25 January: Dennis Smith, cricketer.
• 24 April: Garnet Hercules Mackley, businessman and politician.
• 16 May: Joe Bootham, painter.
• 19 May: Leonard Trent, RNZAF pilot and Victoria Cross winner.
• 27 June: George Nepia, rugby player.
• 10 August: Don McRae, cricketer and soccer player.
• 11 August: Peter Mahon, Queen's Counsel, judge.
• 25 September: Geoff Alley, rugby player, National Librarian.