1994 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,648,300
• Increase since 31 December 1993: 50,400
• Males per 100 Females: 97.2

  Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

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

  Government

• Speaker of the House – Peter Tapsell
• Prime Minister – Jim Bolger
• Deputy Prime Minister – Don McKinnon
• Minister of Finance – Bill Birch
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Don McKinnon
• Chief Justice — Sir Thomas Eichelbaum

  Opposition leaders

• Act – Roger Douglas
• New Zealand First – Winston Peters
• United Future – TBD
• Labour – Helen Clark
• Progressives – TBD

  Main centre leaders

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

  Events

• 13 August: By-election in Selwyn after the National MP Ruth Richardson retired from politics. David Carter retained the seat for National.

  Arts and literature

• Christine Johnston wins the Robert Burns Fellowship

Music

[New Zealand Music Awards]

• Album of the Year: Straitjacket Fits – Blow
• *Strawpeople – World Service
• *The 3Ds – Venus Trail
• Single of the Year: Headless Chickens – Juice / Chopper
• *Strawpeople – Love Explodes
• *Straitjacket Fits – Cat Inna Can
• Best Male Vocalist: Shayne Carter
• *Jon Toogood
• *Chris Matthews
• Best Female Vocalist: Fiona McDonald
• *Annie Crummer
• *Shona Laing
• Best Group: Headless Chickens
• *Strawpeople
• *Straitjacket Fits
• Most Promising Male Vocalist: Matty J
• *Michael Gregg & Brendan Gregg
• *Jason Ioasa
• Most Promising Female Vocalist: Emma Paki
• *Jan Preston
• *Rima Te Wiata
• Most Promising Group: Urban Disturbance
• *Holy Toledos
• *3Ds
• International Achievement: Crowded House
• *Straitjacket Fits
• *Headless Chickens
• Best Video: Matt Noonan / Josh Frizzell – System Virtue
• *Fane Flaws – The Beautiful Things
• *Johnny Ogilvie – Mr Moon
• Best Producer: Strawpeople – World Service
• *Stuart Pearce – Pacifico
• *Jaz Coleman – Churn
• Best Engineer: Malcolm Welsford – Churn
• *Malcolm Wellsford – You Gotta Know
• *Graeme Myhre – Travellin' On
• Best Jazz Album: Freebass – Raw
• *Bluespeak – Late Last Night
• *Nairobi Trio – Through The Clouds
• Best Classical Album: Dame Malvina Major – Casta Diva
• *NZ Symphony Orchestra – The Three Symphonies/ Douglas Lilburn
• *Tamas Vesmas – Eastern European Piano Music
• Best Country Album: Al Hunter – The Singer
• *The Warratahs – Big Sky
• *Patsy Riggir – My Little Corner of the World
• Best Folk Album: Steve McDonald – Sons of Somerled
• *Adam Bell – Summerland
• *Beverly Young – It's Then I Wish
• Best Gospel Album: Stephen Bell-Booth – Undivided
• *Woodford House Chapel Choir – Celebration
• *Monica O'Hagan – His Love
• *Andrew & Saskia Smith – The Gemcutter
• Polynesian Album of the Year: Pasifik MX – Manuiri
• *Andre Tapena – It's Raro
• *Mana – Mana
• Best Songwriter: Emma Paki – System Virtue
• *Stephen Bell-Booth – Undivided
• *Greg Johnson – Winter Song
• Best Cover: Brett Graham – Te Rangatahi
• *Johnny Pain & Jonathan King – Drinking With Judas
• *Chris Knox – Duck Shaped Pain and Gum

Radio and Television

• TV 2 begins 24-hour/7-day programming.
• Newstalk ZB begins broadcasting nationwide.
• The Classic Hits brand is rolled out nationwide when heritage stations operated by Radio New Zealand are rebranded as Classic Hits originally retaining local programming.

Film

• Bread and Roses
• Heavenly Creatures
• Once Were Warriors

Internet

Sport

Athletics

• Paul Smith wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:19:12 on 30 April in Rotorua, while Nyla Carroll claims her first in the women's championship.

  Basketball

• The NBL was won by Nelson

  Commonwealth Games

Cricket

Golf

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Bee Bee Cee
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Chokin – 2nd win

  Thoroughbred racing

• Netball: Silver Ferns, National Bank Cup, Netball World Championships

  Olympic Games

• New Zealand sends a team of seven competitors in two sports.

Paralympic Games

• New Zealand sends a team of seven competitors in one sport.

Rugby league

• The Lion Red Cup competition was introduced, with 12 teams participating. The were the Minor Premiers, but were beaten 24–16 in the Grand Final by the North Harbour Sea Eagles.
• Canterbury rugby league team retained the Rugby League Cup throughout the season.
• 16 October, New Zealand defeated Papua New Guinea 28-12
• 27 October, New Zealand defeated Papua New Guinea 30-16

  Rugby union

Shooting

• Ballinger Belt –
• *Andy Luckman
• *John Whiteman, sixth, top New Zealander

  Soccer

• The Superclub competition was won by North Shore United
• The Chatham Cup is won by Waitakere City who beat Wellington Olympic 1–0 in the final.

  Births

January

• 1 January – Hayden McCormick, cyclist
• 6 January – Samantha McClung, beauty pageant contestant
• 7 January – Gemma Jones, sailor
• 10 January – Tim Payne, association football player
• 12 January – Simon Hickey, rugby union player
• 17 January – Chance Peni, rugby league player
• 20 January – Caitlin Lopes Da Silva, water polo player
• 23 January – Hamish Schreurs, cyclist
• 31 January
• * Georgia Fabish, actor
• * Rose Keddell, field hockey player

  February

• 5 February
• * Lewis Ormond, rugby union player
• * Tom Sanders, rugby union player
• 15 February – Mitchell Drummond, rugby union player
• 18 February – Patrick Kaufusi, rugby league player
• 19 February
• * Sam Lisone, rugby league player
• * Brook Robertson, rower
• 23 February – Patrice Siolo, rugby league player

  March

• 1 March – Siositina Hakeai, discus thrower
• 4 March – Max O'Dowd, cricketer
• 7 March – Ruby Tew, rower
• 15 March – Kip Colvey, association footballer

  April

• 3 April – Kodi Nikorima, rugby league player
• 5 April
• * Sam Bosworth, coxswain
• * Tom Murray, rower
• 12 April – Holly Moon, gymnast
• 14 April – Beau Monga, singer and beatboxer
• 15 April – Katie Bowen, association footballer
• 16 April – Holly Patterson, association footballer
• 20 April – Tyrell Baringer-Tahiri, association footballer

  May

• 4 May – Joseph Tapine, rugby league player
• 8 May – Luke Adams, association footballer
• 9 May – Epalahame Faiva, rugby union player
• 24 May – Joseph Dan-Tyrell, association footballer
• 25 May
• * Richie Mo'unga, rugby union player
• * Josh Renton, rugby union player
• 29 May – Tai Webster, basketball player

  June

• 7 June – Miranda Chase, water polo player
• 13 June – Liam Dudding, cricketer
• 22 June – Felicity Leydon-Davis, cricketer
• 24 June – Mitch Evans, motor racing driver

  July

• 1 July – Tyla Nathan-Wong, rugby sevens and touch player
• 16 July – Ken Maumalo, rugby league player
• 23 July
• * Selina Goddard, lawn bowler
• * Thomas Kingsmill, water polo player
• 25 July – Sophie Cocks, field hockey player

  August

• 2 August
• * Manaia Cherrington, rugby league player
• * Jacob Duffy, cricketer
• 5 August – James Tucker, rugby union player
• 7 August – Regan Ware, rugby union player
• 11 August
• * Anton Cooper, cross-country cyclist
• * Kelsey Smith, field hockey player
• 12 August – Trent Jones, BMX cyclist
• 19 August – Nick Cassidy, motor racing driver

  September

• 3 September – Francis Molo, rugby league player
• 7 September
• * Herman Ese'ese, rugby league player
• * Matt Vaega, rugby union player
• 8 September – Leon Fukofuka, rugby union player
• 12 September – Robert O'Donnell, cricketer
• 14 September – Jamie Booth, rugby union player
• 19 September – Matthew Hutchins, swimmer
• 23 September – Malia Paseka, netball player
• 26 September – Emma Robinson, swimmer

  October

• 1 October – Harshae Raniga, association footballer
• 2 October – Trinity Spooner-Neera, rugby union player
• 8 October – Jahrome Hughes, rugby league player
• 10 October – Anna Tempero, gymnast
• 16 October – David Fusitu'a, rugby league player
• 22 October – Michael Brake, rower
• 25 October – Ken McClure, cricketer
• 27 October – Stephanie Skilton, association footballer
• 31 October – Matthew Lewis, water polo player

  November

• 6 November – Christian Cullen, standardbred racehorse
• 18 November – Anna-Lisa Christiane, beauty pageant contestant
• 22 November – Tautalatasi Tasi, rugby league player
• 23 November – Evie Millynn, association footballer
• 24 November – Brew, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 27 November – Racquel Sheath, cyclist

  December

• 2 December – Rachel Schmidt, trampolinist
• 5 December – Zonda, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 8 December
• * Helena Gasson, swimmer
• * Dylan Kennett, cyclist
• * Elizabeth Thompson, field hockey player
• 10 December
• * Leo Carter, cricketer
• * Holly Robinson, athlete
• 14 December – Tim Seifert, cricketer
• 16 December – Jordan Rae, gymnast
• 17 December – Lloyd Perrett, rugby league player
• 20 December
• * Jacko Gill, shot putter
• * Ryan Thomas, association football player
• 22 December
• * Lalakai Foketi, rugby union player
• * Cameron Howieson, association football player
• 23 December – David Havili, rugby union player
• 24 December – Fa'amanu Brown, rugby league player
• 30 December
• * Tyler Boyd, association football player
• * Kyle Jamieson, cricketer

  Full date unknown

• Rafe Custance, actor
• Kylie Price, singer-songwriter

  Deaths

January–March

• 1 January – Arthur Porritt, Baron Porritt, 11th Governor-General of New Zealand
• 2 January – Godfrey Bowen, sheep shearer
• 4 January – Dame Eileen Mayo, artist and designer
• 18 January – Hēmi Pōtatau, Presbyterian minister, soldier, writer
• 25 January – Bertha Rawlinson, operatic singer, actor, composer
• 16 February – Graeme Caughley, population ecologist and conservation biologist
• 4 March – George Hughes, philosopher and logician
• 10 March – D. J. M. Mackenzie, colonial medical officer
• 20 March – John Kennedy, Roman Catholic journalist and editor
• 26 March – Dame Whina Cooper, Māori leader

  April–June

• 17 April – Bill Dillon, politician
• 30 April – Ina Lamason, cricketer and field hockey player
• 2 May – Roderick Syme, agricultural instructor, mountaineer, local-body politician
• 3 May – Francis Bell, actor
• 5 May – Charles Diver, confectioner
• 7 May – Nassipour, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 9 May – Connie Birchfield, political activist
• 16 May – Roy McElroy, politician, mayor of Auckland
• 18 May
• * Sir Harry Barker, newspaper journalist, politician
• * Charles Turner, mechanical and civil engineer
• 22 May – Norman Read, racewalker
• 25 May – Jack Best, rugby union player
• 27 May
• * James McHaffie, cricketer
• * Bert Roth, librarian, historian
• 31 May
• * Philip Blakeley, electrical engineer
• * Cedric Firth, architect, writer
• * Doug Freeman, cricketer
• 1 June – Bramwell Cook, Salvation Army leader, doctor
• 3 June – Jack Cowie, cricketer
• 7 June – Peter Jones, rugby union player
• 16 June – Stephen Scott, rugby union player
• 19 June – Florence Harsant, temperance worker, writer
• 27 June – Dame Louise Henderson, painter

  July–September

• 3 July – Felix Kelly, designer, painter and illustrator
• 13 July – Richard B. Sibson, ornithologist
• 19 July – Jim Bellwood, physical education teacher, sports coach
• 25 July – Jay Epae, singer and songwriter
• 29 July – Wiremu Te Āwhitu, Roman Catholic priest
• 9 August – Charles Saunders, rower
• 17 August
• * Len Newell, swimmer
• * Dick Shortt, cricket umpire
• * Sir Fred White, physicist, ornithologist, science administrator
• 19 August – Harry Jacks, soldier, plant pathologist, forester
• 22 August – Sir Ralph Love, public servant, politician, Te Āti Awa leader
• 24 August – Cecil Holmes, film director
• 5 September
• * Kathleen Curtis, Lady Rigg, mycologist
• * Mick Williment, rugby union player
• 6 September – Edward Gaines, Roman Catholic bishop
• 12 September – John Chewings, politician

  October–December

• 9 October – Bill Fox, politician
• 10 October – Nola Luxford, Hollywood actress
• 15 October – Avis Acres, artist, writer, illustrator, conservationist
• 24 October – Sir Guy Powles, diplomat, Ombudsman
• 26 October
• * Ronald Dobson, rugby union player
• * Pavel Tichý, logician, philosopher and mathematician
• 28 October – Jock Richardson, rugby union player
• 29 October – Gordon Cochrane, pilot
• 2 November – John Nimmo, cricketer
• 22 November – Charles Upham, soldier
• 6 December – Laura Ingram, community leader, local-body politician
• 10 December – James Healy, geologist
• 12 December – Frederick Turnovsky, manufacturer, entrepreneur, arts advocate
• 16 December – Les Gandar, politician, diplomat
• 24 December – Louise Sutherland, cyclist
• 26 December – Sybil Lupp, mechanic, motor racing driving, garage proprietor
• 27 December – Jimmy Kemp, cricketer