1978 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,165,200.
• Change since 31 December 1977: -1,200.
• Males per 100 females: 99.2.
• This was the first year since 1941 in which New Zealand's population declined.

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – The Rt Hon. Sir Keith Holyoake KG GCMG CH QSO.

Government

• Speaker of the House – Richard Harrison.
• Prime Minister – Robert Muldoon
• Deputy Prime Minister – Brian Talboys.
• Minister of Finance – Robert Muldoon.
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Brian Talboys.
• Attorney-General – Peter Wilkinson until 13 December, then Jim McLay.
• Chief Justice — Sir Richard Wild, Sir '''Ronald Davison'''

Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Bill Rowling.
• Social Credit Party – '''Bruce Beetham'''

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – Dove-Myer Robinson
• Mayor of Hamilton – Ross Jansen
• Mayor of Wellington – Michael Fowler
• Mayor of Christchurch – Hamish Hay
• Mayor of Dunedin – '''Clifford George (Cliff) Skeggs'''

Events

• The Pureora Forest Park was established after a series of protests and tree sittings.
• 18 February – The Rangitikei by-election was won by Bruce Beetham for Social Credit.
• 1 April – Flag carriers Air New Zealand and the National Airways Corporation merge to form a single airline under the Air New Zealand name.
• 25 April – A 506 day long Māori occupation of and protest in Bastion Point ends.
• 12 September – Kaimai Rail Tunnel on the East Coast Main Trunk Railway, at 8896 m the longest tunnel in New Zealand, opened.
• December – Holy Name Seminary, Christchurch closed.

Arts and literature

• Roger Hall and Peter Olds win the Robert Burns Fellowship.

January

• Nambassa, three-day music, crafts and alternative lifestyles festival on Phil and Pat Hulses' farm in Golden Valley, north of Waihi. Attendance 25,000.

October

• Nambassa winter road show, toured the North Island of NZ, promoting the 1979 festival.

Music

[New Zealand Music Awards]

• ALBUM OF THE YEAR Hello Sailor – Hello Sailor
• SINGLE OF THE YEAR Golden Harvest – I Need Your Love
• TOP MALE VOCALIST John Rowles
• TOP GROUP Hello Sailor
• TOP FEMALE VOCALIST Sharon O’Neill
• ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Ian Morris – Hello Sailor
• PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Rob Aicken – Hello Sailor
• MOST PROMISING GROUP Citizen Band
• MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST Kim Hart
• MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST Dennis O’Brien

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to George Tumahai.

Radio and television

• 23 November – the AM broadcast band moves from 10 kHz spacing to 9 kHz spacing, in line with the Geneva Frequency Plan of 1975.
• Feltex Television Awards:
• *Best Current Affairs: Dateline Monday
• *Best Information: Fair Go
• *Best Documentary: Birth with R.D. Laing
• *Best Light Entertainment: A Week of It
• *Best Drama: The Governor
• *Best Speciality: Sport on One
• *Best Actor: David McPhail on A Week of It
• *Best Personality: Roger Gascoigne
• *Best Script: He Iwi Ko Tahi Tatou: episode four of The Governor

Film

• Angel Mine
• Skin Deep

Sport

Athletics

• Paul Ballinger wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:17:33 on 11 March in Hastings.

Chess

• The 85th New Zealand Chess Championship is held in Wellington, and is won by Craig Laird of Tauranga.

Commonwealth Games

Cricket

• 15 February: After 48 years of trying, New Zealand beats England in a Test match for the first time, winning the Test at the Basin Reserve.

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Trusty Scot
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Sole Command. From 1978–86 the race was over 2700m and there was no handicapping.

Soccer

• New Zealand National Soccer League won by Christchurch United
• The Chatham Cup is won by Manurewa who beat Nelson United 1–0 in the final.

Births

• 2 January: Dan Ward-Smith, rugby union player
• 5 January: Adi Dick, musician.
• 21 January : Mike Chappell, basketballer.
• 3 February: Keith Cameron, rugby union player.
• 26 February: Rico Gear, rugby union player.
• 8 April: Nathan Mauger, rugby union player.
• 29 April: Donna Loffhagen, netball and basketball player.
• 19 May: Willie Walker, rugby union player.
• 28 May: John Dennison, poet.
• 1 June: Ben Lummis, singer and winner of New Zealand Idol (season 1).
• 11 June: Daryl Tuffey, cricketer.
• 4 July: Bianca Russell, field hockey player.
• 6 July: Kevin Senio, rugby union player.
• 12 July: Claire Chitham, actor.
• 26 July: David Kosoof, field hockey player.
• 28 July: Jacob Oram, cricketer.
• 14 August : Greg Rawlinson, rugby union player.
• 5 September:
• * Chris Hipkins, politician.
• * Chris Jack, rugby union player.
• 13 September: Andrew Hore, rugby union player.
• 18 September: Iain Lees-Galloway, politician.
• 21 September: Doug Howlett, rugby union player.
• 10 October: Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell, rowers, Olympic gold medallists
• 26 October: Ricky Cockerill, figure skater.
• 6 November: Dean Kent, swimmer.
• 11 November: Lou Vincent, cricketer.
• 19 November : Mahé Drysdale, rower, Olympic gold medallist
• 21 November: Paul Urlovic, soccer player.William Dwane Bell, convicted murderer.Mok TzeMing, writer.

Deaths

• 6 January: Burt Munro, record-setting motorcyclist
• 30 March: Sir Charles William Hamilton, inventor of the jetboat.
• 13 May: Alby Roberts, cricketer.
• 22 May: Sir Richard Wild, 9th Chief Justice of New Zealand.
• 23 July: Sir Ronald Algie, politician and former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
• 18 August: Ronald L. Meek, economist.John Hutton, glass engraver