1997 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,802,700
• Increase since 31 December 1996: 40,400
• Males per 100 Females: 97.1

  Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – The Rt Hon. Sir Michael Hardie Boys GNZM, GCMG, QSO

  Government

• Speaker of the House – Doug Kidd
• Prime Minister – Jim Bolger then Jenny Shipley
• Deputy Prime Minister – Winston Peters
• Minister of Finance – Bill Birch
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Don McKinnon
• Chief Justice — Sir Thomas Eichelbaum

  Parliamentary leaders

• Labour – Helen Clark
• Alliance – Jim Anderton
• ACT New Zealand – Richard Prebble
• United New Zealand- Peter Dunne

  Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – Les Mills
• Mayor of Hamilton – Margaret Evans
• Mayor of Wellington – Mark Blumsky
• Mayor of Christchurch – Vicki Buck
• Mayor of Dunedin – Sukhi Turner

  Events

• 8 February: Stephen Anderson, 24, shoots 11 people, killing 6 of them at Raurimu.
• 16 July: List MP Alamein Kopu resigns from the Alliance Party but remains a member of parliament. This causes controversy because Kopu has signed contracts with the party that she would resign from Parliament should she leave the party.
• 10 September: Parliament's privileges committee finds that Alamein Kopu is entitled to remain an independent MP.
• Argentina reopens its embassy in Wellington.

  Arts and literature

• Paddy Richardson wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.
• Montana New Zealand Book Awards:
• *Book of the Year/Cultural Heritage: Jessie Munro, The Story of Suzanne Aubert
• *First Book Awards
• **Fiction: Dominic Sheehan, Finding Home
• **Poetry: Diane Brown, Before the Divorce We Go To Disneyland
• **Non-Fiction: Jessie Munro, The Story of Suzanne Aubert

Music

[New Zealand Music Awards]

• Album of the Year: Strawpeople – Vicarious
• *Emma Paki – Oxygen of Love
• *Garageland – Last Exit to Garageland
• *OMC
• *The Mutton Birds – Envy of Angels
• Single of the Year: DLT Featuring Che Fu – Chains
• *Bic Runga – Bursting Through
• *Garageland
• *Strawpeople – Taller Than God
• *The Mutton Birds
• Best Male Vocalist: Che Fu – Chains
• *Jeremy Eade
• *Jon Toogood
• Best Female Vocalist: Bic Runga
• *Emma Paki
• *Fiona McDonald
• Best Group: Garageland
• *Shihad
• *The Mutton Birds
• Most Promising Male Vocalist: Daniel Haimona
• *Andrew Tilby
• *Ed Cake
• Most Promising Female Vocalist: Lole Usoalii
• *Andrea Cook
• *Maryanne Antonuvich
• Most Promising Group: Dam Native
• *Bike
• *Bressa Creeting Cake
• *Cinematic
• International Achievement: OMC
• *Crowded House
• *Jane Campion
• *Peter Jackson
• Best Video: Sigi Spath & Joe Lonie – if I Had My Way
• *Kevin Sprig – La La Land
• *Jonathan King – Behold My Kool Style
• Best Producer: Malcolm Welsford / Karl Steven – Backspacer
• *Alan Jansson – How Bizarre
• *Eddie Raynor – ENZSO
• Best Engineer: Rick Huntington / Alan Jansson – How Bizarre
• *Chris Van Der Geer
• *Malcolm Welsford – Backspacer
• Best Jazz Album: Bluetrain – No Free Lunch
• *Jazz in the Present Tense – Jazz in the Present Tense
• *Nairobi Trio – Shelf Life
• Best Classical Album: the Nzso, Janos Furst, Michael Houston – Live : Tower Beethoven Festival
• *New Zealand String Quartet – Bartok String Quartet 1–5
• *Alexander Ivashin & Tama Vesmas – Sergie Prokofiev
• Best Country Album: Coalrangers – Coast to Coast
• *Dennis Marsh – Out of Nashville
• *Bartlett, Dugan, Vaughan – Together Again
• Best Folk Album: Wild Geese – Betwixt Time and Place
• *Michael Scorey – Angel Station
• *Bob Bickerton – Music in the Glen
• Best Gospel Album: Max Jacobson – Found
• *The Lands – Arbor Day
• *Evan Silva – Aint No Two Ways About It
• Best Mana Maori Album: Emma Paki – Oxygen of Love
• *DLT – The True School
• *Dam Native – Behold My Kool Style
• Best Mana Reo Album: St Josephs Maori Girls College – a Gift of Song
• *Te Kura Tuatahi Me Te Ropu Kapahaka O Ranana – Te Wainui A Rua
• *Turakina Maori Girls College – Mana Wahine
• Best Childrens Album: Universal Childrens Audio – Waiata Karahere
• *Helen Willberg – Ranona Moemoea
• *Love To Sing Choir – Love My First Songbook
• Best Polynesian Album: Annie Crummer – Seventh Wave
• *Felise Mikaele -Se Taitau
• *The Five Stars – Samoa Ea''
• Best Songwriter: Dl Thompson, C Ness, A McNaughton, K Rangihuna – Chains
• *Paul Casserley, Fiona McDonald, Greg Johnson – Boxers
• *Bic Runga – Bursting Through
• Best Cover: Wayne Conway – ENZSO
• *Jeremy Takacs, Karl & Jon – Shihad
• *Rick Huntington And Alan Jansson – How Bizarre

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Paul Bennett.

  Radio and television

• CanWest takes complete ownership of TV3 and launches TV4.
• TVNZ broadcasts MTV.
• July: Prime Television in Australia purchases 34 licences covering all major New Zealand centres.

Film

• Lost Valley
• Topless Women Talk About Their Lives

Internet

Sport

Athletics

• Peter Buske wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:20:49 on 8 March in New Plymouth, while Terri-Lee Farr claims her first in the women's championship.
• Beatrice Faumuina became the first New Zealander to win an event at a World Athletics Championships.

  Basketball

• The Men's NBL was won by the Auckland Stars
• Tall Blacks

  Cricket

• Various Tours, New Zealand cricket team

  Golf

• New Zealand Open won by Greg Turner

  Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Iraklis
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Kate's First

  Thoroughbred racing

Netball

• Silver Ferns
• National Bank Cup

  Rugby league

• The Auckland Warriors competed in the breakaway Super League and finished 7th out of 10 teams.
• Waikato won the Super League Challenge Cup, defeating Canterbury 34–18 in the final. Waikato also won the Rugby League Cup.
• 25 April, New Zealand lost to Australia 22–34
• 26 September, New Zealand defeated Australia 30-12

  Rugby union

• Super 12
• Rugby Union World Cup
• National Provincial Championship
• Bledisloe Cup
• Tri Nations Series
• Ranfurly Shield

  Shooting

• Ballinger Belt – Ross Geange

  Soccer

• The Chatham Cup is won by Central United who beat Napier City Rovers 3–2 in the final.

  Births

January–February

• 3 January – Jacob Cowley, rugby union player
• 7 January – Dylan Schmidt, trampolinist
• 10 January – Patrick Herbert, rugby league player
• 20 January – James Munro, motor racing driver
• 21 January – Josh Clarkson, cricketer
• 23 January – Duncan Campbell, snowboarder
• 24 January – Jordan Uelese, rugby union player
• 3 February – Paige Hourigan, tennis player
• 11 February – Rosé, singer
• 12 February
• * Anna Grimaldi, athlete
• * Clayton Lewis, association footballer
• 13 February – Sevu Reece, rugby union player
• 17 February – Jordie Barrett, rugby union player

  March–April

• 1 March
• * Nick Kwant, cricketer
• * Niccolo Tagle, badminton player
• 3 March – Du'Plessis Kirifi, rugby union player
• 5 March – Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, rugby union player
• 11 March – Ata Hingano, rugby league player
• 12 March – Stephen Perofeta, rugby union player
• 13 March – Orbyn Leger, rugby union player
• 14 March – Sam Dobbs, cyclist
• 18 March – Rieko Ioane, rugby union player
• 19 March – Zak Gibson, cricketer
• 20 March – Bobby Cheng, chess player
• 21 March – Moses Dyer, association footballer
• 23 March – Sirocco, kakapo
• 8 April – Ella Greenslade, rower
• 20 April – Luke Jacobson, rugby union player
• 23 April – Myer Bevan, association footballer
• 24 April – Lydia Ko, golfer
• 26 April – Tima Fainga'anuku, rugby union player
• 30 April
• * Daisy Cleverley, association footballer
• * Sam Lane, field hockey player

  May–June

• 1 May – Terina Te Tamaki, rugby union player
• 2 May – Aotearoa Mata'u, rugby union player
• 5 May – Asafo Aumua, rugby union player
• 6 May – Carlos Garcia Knight, snowboarder
• 7 May – Harry Allan, rugby union player
• 8 May
• * Tahuna Irwin, darts player
• * Amanda Jamieson, cyclist
• 13 May – Ngatokotoru Arakua, rugby league player
• 23 May – Sam Timmins, basketball player
• 24 May – Olivia Podmore, cyclist
• 30 May
• * Ere Enari, rugby union player
• * Sitili Tupouniua, rugby league player
• 5 June – Ross ter Braak, cricketer
• 8 June – James Rolleston, actor
• 11 June – Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, rugby union player
• 17 June
• * KJ Apa, actor
• * Pouri Rakete-Stones, rugby union player
• 28 June – Henry Cameron, association footballer

  July–August

• 5 July – Abigail Latu-Meafou, netball player
• 9 July – Grace Anderson, cyclist
• 16 July
• * Braydon Ennor, rugby union player
• * Isaia Walker-Leawere, rugby union player
• 5 August – Clara van Wel, singer–songwriter
• 6 August – Noah Billingsley, association footballer
• 12 August – Elizabeth Cui, diver
• 19 August – Alex Fidow, rugby union player
• 21 August – Sione Katoa, rugby league player

  September–October

• 9 September – Erin Clark, rugby league player
• 10 September – Jacob Pierce, rugby union player
• 11 September – Zoe Hobbs, sprinter
• 16 September – Martine Puketapu, association footballer
• 17 September – Christian Leopard, cricketer
• 21 September – Maia Wilson, netball player
• 27 September – Hail, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 30 September – Ryan Coxon, rugby union player
• 1 October
• * Troy Johnson, cricketer
• * Sam Verlinden, singer
• 8 October – Taniela Paseka, rugby league player
• 10 October – Josh McKay, rugby union player
• 11 October – Dalton Papalii, rugby union player
• 23 October – Jaydn Su'A, rugby league player
• 30 October – Abbie Palmer, squash player

  November–December

• 1 November – Kimiora Poi, netball player
• 4 November – Bryony Botha, cyclist
• 16 November – Ethereal, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 21 November – Caleb Aekins, rugby league player
• 26 November – Tamati Tua, rugby union player
• 7 December – Briton Nikora, rugby league player
• 15 December – Stefania Owen, actor
• 27 December – Jona Nareki, rugby union player
• 31 December
• * Peter Umaga-Jensen, rugby union player
• * Thomas Umaga-Jensen, rugby union player

  Deaths

January–March

• 1 January – Nora Crawford, police officer
• 2 January – Keith Hay, construction company founder, politician, conservative activist
• 10 January – John Rodgers, Roman Catholic bishop
• 15 January – Ted Smith, rower
• 29 January – Sir Clifford Richmond, jurist
• 2 February – Ray Dalton, rugby union player
• 26 March – Sir Norman Alexander, physics academic, university administrator

  April–June

• 8 April – Lord Module, standardbred racehorse
• 10 April – Sir Robert Aitken, medical academic, university administrator
• 14 April – Count Geoffrey Potocki de Montalk, poet, pretender to the Polish throne
• 17 April – Henry Lang, public servant, economics academic
• 24 April – Hugh McLean, rugby union player
• 3 May – Bruce Beetham, politician
• 7 May – Owen Jensen, musician, composer, music critic and broadcaster
• 17 May – James Newhook, veterinary science academic
• 21 May – Sir Tristram, thoroughbred racehorse
• 22 May – Rachael Zister, Māori community leader
• 2 June – Oscar Garden, aviator
• 14 June – Sir Jack Hunn, public servant
• 15 June – Kim Casali, cartoonist
• 26 June – Dent Harper, cricketer
• 28 June – Jack Hinton, soldier
• 29 June – Ian Clarke, rugby union player, referee and administrator

  July–September

• 3 July – Ron Westerby, rugby league player
• 6 July – Brun Smith, cricketer
• 8 July – Ray Speed, association football player
• 12 July – Frank Shuter, speedway rider
• 23 July – David Warbeck, actor
• 25 July
• * Jack Davies, swimmer
• * Matiu Rata, politician
• 31 July – Sir Hepi Te Heuheu, Māori leader
• 15 August – Dave Solomon, rugby union and league player
• 16 August – Kitty Kain, dietician, WAAF leader
• 21 August – Jean Horsley, artist
• 25 August – James Gould, rower
• 5 September – Emily Schuster, master weaver
• 17 September – Trevor Redmond, speedway rider
• 22 September – Silver Lad, thoroughbred racehorse
• 23 September – Christopher John Lewis, criminal
• 26 September – Geoff Gerard, politician

  October–December

• 8 October – Desmond Scott, fighter pilot
• 11 October – Sidney Koreneff, French resistance worker, newspaper managing director, Anglican priest
• 18 October
• * David Seath, politician
• * Geoff Walker, canoeist, surf lifesaver
• 31 October – Adrian Rodda, public servant
• 16 November – Roy Sheffield, cricketer
• 21 November – Stanley Dallas, radio technician and recording engineer
• 27 November – Jim Kershaw, association football player
• 6 December – Eva Rickard, Māori land and women's rights activist
• 10 December – Ted Coubray, filmmaker