1987 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,342,100.
• Increase since 31 December 1986: 28,600.
• 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 then Kerry Burke
• Prime Minister – David Lange
• Deputy Prime Minister – Geoffrey Palmer
• Minister of Finance – Roger Douglas
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – David Lange then Russell Marshall
• Chief Justice — Sir Ronald Davison

Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Jim Bolger.

Main centre leaders

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

Events

• 1 January – Unleaded petrol is introduced, with unleaded 91-octane fuel replacing "regular" 91-octane leaded fuel. "Super" 96-octane remains leaded.
• January, February – Māori loan affair continues.
• 17 February – A bus on a field trip from Woodford House school in Havelock North rolls down a bank near [Maraekakaho|], west of Hastings. Five people are killed and at least 17 are injured.
• 2 March – Edgecumbe earthquake in the Bay of Plenty.
• 19 May – Air New Zealand Flight 24, en route from Tokyo to Auckland, is hijacked at Nadi International Airport, Fiji while on a scheduled refuelling stop.
• 22 May–20 June – Inaugural Rugby World Cup hosted by both New Zealand and Australia, and won by New Zealand.
• June – The New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act is passed.
• 19 June – Six-year-old Teresa Cormack goes missing in Napier. Her body is found eight days later.
• July – The Māori Language Act makes Māori an official language.
• 1 August – The first Lotto draw takes place.
• 15 August – The 1987 general election is held.
• August – Telecom launches New Zealand's first mobile phone network.
• 20 October – The New Zealand stock market crashes following Black Monday on Wall Street. Share prices fell by 59 percent over four months.
• 3 November – McDonald's opens its first restaurants in the South Island at Linwood and Merivale, Christchurch.
• December – New Zealand's first heart transplant takes place at Green Lane Hospital, for Brian Lindsay.

Arts and literature

• Robert Lord wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.

Music

[New Zealand Music Awards]

• ALBUM OF THE YEAR Herbs – Sensitive to a Smile
• *Dave Dobbyn – Footrot Flats
• *Ardijah – Ardijah
• SINGLE OF THE YEAR Dave Dobbyn – You Oughta Be in Love
• *Shona Laing – Glad I'm Not A Kennedy
• *The Chills – Leather Jacket
• BEST MALE VOCALIST Dave Dobbyn
• *Charles Tumahai
• *Martin Phillips
• BEST FEMALE VOCALIST Shona Laing
• *Betty-Anne Monga
• *Patsy Riggir
• BEST GROUP The Chills
• *Ardijah
• *Herbs
• MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST Al Hunter
• *Wayne Elliot
• *David Parker
• MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST Moana Maniapoto Jackson Moana and the Moahunters
• *Darlene Adair
• *Kara Pewhairangi
• MOST PROMISING GROUP Bonga And Harwood
• *Rhythm Cage
• *Knightshade
• INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT Neil Finn
• *Dave Dobbyn
• *The Chills
• *Shona Laing
• *Kiri Te Kanawa
• BEST VIDEO Matt Box Films – Sensitive to a Smile
• *Kerry Brown/ Bruce Sheridan – Glad Im Not A Kennedy
• *Paul Middleditch – The Game of Love
• BEST FILM SOUNDTRACK Dave Dobbyn – Footrot Flats
• *Various Artists – Queen City Rocker
• BEST PRODUCER Dave Dobbyn – Footrot Flats
• *Billy Kristian – Sensitive to a Smile
• *Ian Morris – The Game of Love
• BEST ENGINEER Ian Morris – The Game of Love
• *Roland Morris / Nick Morgan – Ardijah
• *Doug Rogers / Rhys Moody – Brand New Doll
• *Tim Field – Out for the Count
• BEST JAZZ ALBUM Mike Nock / Frank Gibson, Jr. – 'Open Door'
• *Brian Smith – Brian Smith
• *The Umbrellas – The Umbrellas
• BEST CLASSICAL ALBUM Gillian Weir – Music to the Sun King
• *NZ Symphony Orchestra – Music By Douglas Lilburn
• *Margaret Neilson – Sea Changes
• BEST COUNTRY ALBUM Al Hunter – Neon Cowboy
• *Jodi Vaughan – Straight From The Heart
• *Patsy Riggir – Close To Thee
• BEST FOLK ALBUM Beverly Young – Bushes & Briar
• *Phil Garland – Hunger in the Air
• *Paul Mesters – Pacific Pilgrim
• BEST GOSPEL ALBUM Jules Riding – Heart Strings
• *Patsy Riggir – Close To Thee
• *Darlene Adair – Darlene Adair
• BEST POLYNESIAN ALBUM Herbs – E Papa – Jah Knows
• *Kahurangi – Kahurangi
• *Moana – Kua Makona
• BEST CAST ALBUM Stewart Macpherson – Pirates of Penzance
• *Philip Norman – Love Off The Shelf
• *Thomas Baker – The Conductor's Shoes
• BEST SONGWRITER Charles Tumahai/ Dilworth Karaka – Sensitive to a Smile
• *Dave Dobbyn – You Oughta Be in Love
• *Shona Laing – Glad Im Not A Kennedy
• BEST COVER Philip Trusttum – Songdance
• *Peter Bennett – Elephunkin
• *Reston Griffiths – Footrot Flats

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Silvio De Pra.

Radio and television

• Auckland Radio 1ZB becomes Newstalk 1ZB creating the first Newstalk ZB station.
• 1ZM Auckland becomes Classic Hits 1251 creating the first Classic Hits station, other New Zealand radio stations do not take the Classic Hits branding until 1993/94.

Programme debuts

• 20 April – Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.
• 1 August – Lotto

Film

• Bad Taste
• Ngati
• Starlight Hotel

Sport

Rugby

• The All Blacks win the inaugural Rugby World Cup.

Athletics

• Peter Renner wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:15:32 on 22 November in Wiri, while Jillian Costley claims her first in the women's championship.

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Lightning Blue
• The Auckland Trotting Cup was run twice in 1987 as it was being rescheduled from January back to December.
• * January : Master Mood
• * December : Luxury Liner

Shooting

• Ballinger Belt – Diane Collings

Soccer

• The Chatham Cup is won by Gisborne City who beat Christchurch United 7–3 on aggregate in a two-leg final.

Births

• 7 January: Michael McGlinchey, football player
• 27 January: Ben Te'o, rugby league player
• 28 January: Steven O'Dor, football player
• 13 February: Frank-Paul Nu'uausala, rugby league player
• 18 February: Maria Tutaia, netball player
• 22 February: Lesley Cantwell, race walker
• 3 March: Jacob Spoonley, football player
• 17 March: Krisnan Inu, rugby league player
• 18 March: Clarissa Eshuis, hockey player
• 20 March: David Richardson, actor
• 27 March: Victor Vito, rugby union player
• 7 April: Jaimee Kaire-Gataulu, actor
• 10 April: Hayley Westenra, soprano
• 11 April: Joseph Sullivan, rower Olympic gold medallist
• 29 April: Tim Winitana, rugby league player
• 6 May: Katrina Grant, netball player
• 29 May: Issac Luke, rugby league player
• 7 June: Daniel Logan, actor
• 8 June: Joshua Brodie, cricketer
• 4 July: Chris James, football player
• 8 July: Alana Barber, race walker
• 22 July: Sam Bewley, racing cyclist
• 1 September: Dann Hume, singer-songwriter, drummer, and producer
• 16 September: Rongo Brightwell, singer
• 2 October: Anita Punt, hockey player
• 7 October: Jeremy Brockie, football player
• 10 October: Colin Slade, rugby union player
• 30 November: Miguel Start, rugby league player
• 9 December: Polly Powrie, sailor, Olympic gold medallist
• 14 December: Lauren Boyle, swimmer
• 23 December: Owen Franks, rugby union player All Black

Deaths

• 16 January Colin Scrimgeour, minister and broadcaster.
• 13 February: Curly Page, cricketer.
• 29 May: Bryan Todd, businessman
• 31 May: Wilfrid Mervyn Lusty, journalist, drama critic, theatre administrator and adult educationalist
• 16 July: Harry Ayres, guide and mountaineer.
• 4 August: Cecil Burke, cricketer.
• 14 October: John Rangihau, academic and leader of Tuhoe iwi.
• 27 December: Rewi Alley, writer and member of the Chinese Communist Party.Alfred E. Allen, politician.Johnnie Hoskins, motorcycle speedway pioneer.Norman Jones, politician.Colin McCahon, artist.Denis Rogers, mayor of Hamilton.