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

• 8 February: A fire on Ridgway Street in Whanganui destroys six heritage buildings.
• 18 June: A magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes 5 kilometres south-west of Arthur's Pass, Canterbury.
• 20 June: Robin and Margaret Bain and three of their four children – Arawa, Laniet, and Stephen – were shot to death in Dunedin. The Bain Family Murder case has been described as "the most widely discussed and divisive in New Zealand's criminal history".
• 13 August: By-election in Selwyn after the National MP Ruth Richardson retired from politics. David Carter retained the seat for National.
• 17 September: Anne-Maree Ellens was murdered in Christchurch. Michael October was later convicted of murdering her. The Criminal Cases Review Commission sent the case back to the Court of Appeal of New Zealand in 2023 for it to be reconsidered over "strong concerns with the police investigation, and his convictions".
• October: Māori activist Mike Smith attempts to cut down the tree on Auckland's Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill as a protest against government economic policies.

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

• 4 March: Australian police drama Blue Heelers comes to New Zealand when the series begins screening on TV One.
• 4 April: US children's television series Barney & Friends first airs on TV2.
• 27 April: US science fiction drama The X-Files makes its New Zealand television debut on TV2.
• 19 July: Australian children's cartoon series The Adventures of Blinky Bill begins airing on TV2 in New Zealand.
• 4 September: British children's animation based on the books by Sarah Ferguson Budgie the Little Helicopter appears on New Zealand television screens for the first time on TV3. It was also the first British cartoon to air on TV3 as well as making the New Zealand the first country outside of the UK to broadcast it.
• 8 September: Acclaimed British children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends screens on TV2 as a stand alone for the very last time.
• 19 October: The last broadcast of Goodnight Kiwi on TV2.
• 3 December: Orange, a brand new general entertainment channel is launched by Sky.
• 3 December: Long running children's Saturday morning series What Now has its final broadcast for 1994 on TV2.
• 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 Counties Manukau Heroes 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
• 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
• 6 July – Tayla O'Brien, association footballer
• 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
• 18 August – Ashleigh Ward, association footballer
• 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
• * Shrek, celebrity sheep

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

• 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
• 7 January – Dame Dorothea Horsman, women's rights advocate
• 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
• 16 November – Ponty Reid, rugby union player
• 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