1998 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,829,200.
• Increase since 31 December 1997: 26,500.
• Males per 100 Females: 96.8.

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 - Jenny Shipley
• [Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand|Prime Minister of New Zealand|Deputy Prime Minister] - Winston Peters then Wyatt Creech
• Minister of Finance - Bill Birch
• Minister of Foreign Affairs - Don McKinnon
• Chief Justice — Sir Thomas Eichelbaum

Opposition leaders

• National - Prime Minister Jenny Shipley
• Act - Richard Prebble
• New Zealand First - Winston Peters
• United New Zealand - Peter Dunne
• Labour - Helen Clark
• The Alliance - Jim Anderton and Sandra Lee

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – Les Mills then Christine Fletcher
• Mayor of Hamilton – Margaret Evans then Russ Rimmington
• Mayor of Wellington – Mark Blumsky
• Mayor of Christchurch – Vicki Buck then Garry Moore
• Mayor of Dunedin – Sukhi Turner

Events

• 2 May – By-election in Taranaki-King Country after the former Prime Minister Jim Bolger resigned. Shane Ardern retained the seat for National.
• 14 August – Prime Minister Jenny Shipley sacks Winston Peters from Cabinet after a dispute over the privatisation of Wellington International Airport. Peters subsequently cancels New Zealand First's coalition agreement with National.
• 22 October – Magnum Photo Supplies Ltd v Viko New Zealand Ltd, case is decided.
• 27-30 October – Heavy rainfall and flooding in western New Zealand costs over $2 million in insurance payouts.
• New Zealand appoints a resident ambassador to Argentina and establishes an embassy in Buenos Aires.
• Until 2016, this year was New Zealand's warmest year on record.

Arts and literature

• Michael King wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.
• Montana New Zealand Book Awards:
• *Montana Medal: Harry Orsman, Dictionary of New Zealand English
• *Deutz Medal: Maurice Gee, Live Bodies
• *Reader's Choice: Malcolm McKinnon, New Zealand Historical Atlas
• *First Book Awards
• **Fiction: Catherine Chidgey, In a fishbone church
• **Poetry: Kapka Kassabova, All Roads Lead to the Sea
• **Non-Fiction: Genevieve Noser, Olives: The new passion

Music

[New Zealand Music Awards]

• Album of the Year: Bic Runga - Drive
• *Salmonella Dub - Calming of the Drunken Monkey
• *Rob Guest - Standing Ovation
• *The Stereobus - Stereobus
• *Greg Johnson - Chinese Whispers
• Single of the Year: Bic Runga - Sway
• *Shihad - Home Again
• *The Feelers - Pressure Man
• *Darcy Clay - Jesus I Was Evil
• *Moizna - Just Another Day
• Best Male Vocalist: Jon Toogood –
• *Greg Johnson
• *Booga Beazley
• Best Female Vocalist: Bic Runga
• *Sulata
• *Annie Crummer
• Best Group: Shihad
• *The Mutton Birds
• *Dam Native
• Most Promising Male Vocalist: Darcy Clay
• *Dave Yetton
• *James Reid
• Most Promising Female Vocalist: Alesha Siosiua
• *Maisey Rika
• *Jordan Reyne
• Most Promising Group: Moizna
• *The Feelers
• *The Stereobus
• International Achievement: OMC
• *The Mutton Birds
• *Garageland
• Best Video: Mark Hurley - Home Again
• *Joe Lonie - Pressure Man
• *Wayne Conway - Suddenly Strange
• Best Producer: Malcolm Welsford - Pressure Man
• *Chris Sinclair - Kia Koe
• *Debbie Harwood & Stephen Small - So This Is Love
• Best Engineer: Simon Sheridan - Sway
• *Chris Sinclair - Kia Koe
• *Malcolm Welsford - Pressure Man
• Best Jazz Album: the New Loungehead - Came a Weird Way
• *Trip to the Moon - Jazz Hop
• *Sustenance - Food For Thought
• Best Classical Album: Daniel Poynton - You Hit Him, He Cry Out
• *Alexander Ivashkin - Shostakovich Cello Concertos
• *Keith Lewis And NZ Chamber Orchestra - Opera Kings Gods And Mortals
• Best Country Album: Kylie Harris - Fancy
• Best Folk Album: Paul Ubana Jones - Blessings and Burdens
• *T&D Bigger Band - Hillingdon
• *AJ Bell - Ragwort Touch
• Best Gospel Album: Parachute Band - You Alone
• *Dennis Marsh - Faith
• *Invasion Band - You Call My Name
• Best Mana Maori Album: Te Matapihi – Te Matapihi
• *Maori Volcanics - Kia Ora
• *Dam Native - Kaupapa Driven Rhymes Uplifted
• Best Mana Reo Album: St Josephs Maori Girls College - E Hine
• *The Willie Matthews Quartet - A Treasury of Maori Songs
• *Nga Kura O Hananah - Nga Kura O Hananah
• Best Children's Album: Kids TV - Sing Something Simple
• *Tessa Grigg & Brian Ringrose - Where Are You Going Colin
• *Jules Riding - Kids Time With Jules Riding
• Best Songwriter: Bic Runga - Sway
• *Greg Johnson - Liberty
• *Jordan Luck - Change Your Mind
• Best Cover: Wayne Conway - Drive
• *Crispin Schuberth - Came A Weird Way
• *A Penman & Ross - Calming of the Drunken Monkey
• New Zealand Radio Programmer Award: John Diver - Channel Z
• *Melanie Wise - Q92FM
• *Kaye Glamuzina - National Radio

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Dame Malvina Major ONZ GNZM DBE.

Radio and television

• 16 March: British children's television series Teletubbies premieres on TV3.
• 30 August: Prime Television New Zealand begins transmission.

Film

• Memory and Desire
• Saving Grace

Internet

Sport

• See: 1998 in sports, :Category:1998 in sports

Athletics

• Mark Hutchinson wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:24:51 on 25 October in Auckland while Bernardine Portenski claims her second in the women's championship

Basketball

• the NBL was won by the Nelson Giants

Commonwealth Games

Cricket

• The Shell Trophy for 1998-99 was won by Canterbury, with Northern Districts runners-up.

Golf

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Christian Cullen
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Christian Cullen

Netball

• Silver Ferns
• National Bank Cup
• Netball World Championships

Olympic Games

• New Zealand sends a team of eight competitors in six sports.

Paralympic Games

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

Rugby league

• The [1998 Auckland rugby league team|Auckland Warriors season|Auckland Warriors] finished 15th out of 20 teams in the first season of the National Rugby League premiership.
• Auckland won the National Provincial Competition by defeating Canterbury 44-8 while Waikato ended the season holding the Rugby League Cup.
• 24 April, New Zealand defeated Australia 22-16
• 9 October, New Zealand lost to Australia 12-30
• 31 October, New Zealand defeated Great Britain 22-16
• 7 November, New Zealand defeated Great Britain 36-16
• 14 November, New Zealand drew with Great Britain 23-all

Rugby union

• Super 12 - was won by the Canterbury Crusaders who defeated the Auckland Blues 20–13 in the final. Season summary
• National Provincial Championship - won by Otago
• Bledisloe Cup - won 3-0 by Australia
• Tri Nations Series - won by South Africa. New Zealand came last with no wins and only 2 bonus points
• Ranfurly Shield - Waikato held the shield all season, beating Poverty Bay 121–0, King Country 76–0, Bay of Plenty 25–18, Auckland 24–23, Southland 95–7, Nth Harbour 39–22, Northland 63–22, and Canterbury 29-23

Shooting

• Ballinger Belt – Mike Collings

Soccer

• The second National Summer Soccer League was won by Napier City Rovers
• The New Zealand national soccer team won the OFC Nations Cup tournament held in Australia, beating the host nation 2–0 in the final.
• The Chatham Cup is won by Central United who beat Dunedin Technical 5–0 in the final.
• New Zealand U-16 team coached by Wynton Rufer travels to unofficial U-16 World Cup in France to coincide with 1998 FIFA World Cup. Achieve mixed results

Births

January–March

• 6 January – Eleanor Epke, squash player
• 11 January – Thomas Mikaele, rugby league player
• 25 January – Sione Havili, rugby union player
• 4 February – Tevita Mafileo, rugby union player
• 5 February – Tai Wynyard, basketballer
• 6 February – Hayden Phillips, field hockey player
• 11 February – Ben Sears, cricketer
• 20 February
• * Emma Cumming, racing cyclist
• * Nicole Fujita, model and tarento
• 24 February – Will Jordan, rugby union player
• 3 March – Sione Asi, rugby union player
• 4 March – Tom Christie, rugby union player
• 28 March – James Fouché, racing cyclist

April–June

• 2 April – Sam Fischli, rugby union player
• 5 April – Michaela Drummond, racing cyclist
• 9 April – James McGarry, association footballer
• 13 April – Paige Satchell, association footballer
• 17 April – Vilimoni Koroi, rugby union player
• 18 April – Liana Dance, water polo player
• 21 April – Jackson Wells, freestyle skier
• 29 April – Fraser Sheat, cricketer
• 30 April – Liam Wood, association footballer
• 4 May – Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa, rugby union player
• 7 May – Jess Watkin, cricketer
• 12 May – Campbell Stewart, racing cyclist
• 18 May – Brianna Fruean, environmental activist
• 28 May – Logan Rogerson, association footballer
• 16 June – Tanielu Tele’a, rugby union player
• 19 June
• * Ali Galyer, swimmer
• * Harry Plummer, rugby union player

July–September

• 4 July – Olivia Ray, racing cyclist
• 6 July – Ma'ava Ave, cricketer
• 9 July – Mikayla Harvey, racing cyclist
• 12 July – Hoskins Sotutu, rugby union player
• 15 July – Nathan Smith, cricketer
• 18 July – Ella Harris, racing cyclist
• 1 August – Rosie Cheng, tennis player
• 2 August – Ricky Jackson, rugby union player
• 7 August – Jesse Arthars, rugby league player
• 22 August
• * Leica Guv, Thoroughbred racehorse
• * Adam Pompey, rugby league player
• 28 August
• * Morgan Harper, rugby league player
• * Sarah Morton, association footballer
• 30 August – Ngane Punivai, rugby union player
• 3 September – Bailyn Sullivan, rugby union player
• 13 September – Evelina Afoa, swimmer
• 20 September – Isaiah Papali'i, rugby league player
• 23 September – Bradley Slater, rugby union player

October–December

• 20 October – Tasmyn Benny, boxer
• 29 October
• * Laghlan McWhannell, rugby union player
• * Felix Murray, cricketer
• 7 November – Rosemary Mair, cricketer
• 17 November – Courtney McGregor, artistic gymnast
• 19 November – Thomas Sexton, racing cyclist
• 29 November – Xavier Numia, rugby union player
• 4 December – Just An Excuse, Standardbred racehorse
• 11 December – Rakai Tait, snowboarder
• 12 December – Elizabeth Anton, association footballer
• 18 December – Jade Lewis, tennis player
• 22 December – Ben Beecroft, cricketer
• 24 December – Nikita Howarth, swimmer

Undated

• Rupena Parkinson, rugby union player
• Henry Williams, actor
• Indy Yelich, poet and singer-songwriter

Deaths

January–March

• 12 January – Neil Williams, water polo player
• 14 January – Leonard Atkinson, public servant
• 27 January – Gavin Downie, politician
• 14 February – Peter Jacobson, poet
• 20 February – Ces Blazey, rugby union and athletics administrator
• 8 March – Kuini Te Tau, Ngāi Tahu kaumātua, welfare worker, community leader
• 10 March – C. E. Beeby, educationalist
• 15 March – Darcy Clay, singer–songwriter
• 18 March – Vernon Clare, musician, cabaret owner, restaurateur, music teacher

April–June

• 6 April – Sam Chaffey, alpine skier
• 26 April – Sir Alan Boxer, air force officer
• 30 April – William Newland, potter
• 1 May – Brian Kendall, boxer
• 14 May –
• * Ron Withell, boxer
• * Jade Wilson, squash player
• 15 May – Jack Warcup, mycologist
• 20 May – John Trenwith, novelist, marketing academic
• 2 June – Brian Johnston, field hockey player
• 13 June – Henry Tatana, rugby league player
• 21 June – Peter Mander, sailor
• 22 June – Brian Davis, Anglican archbishop

July–September

• 3 July – Elizabeth Riddell, poet and journalist
• 5 July – Frank Creagh, boxer
• 7 July – Maurice Holmes, harness racing driver
• 17 July
• * Marc Hunter, musician
• * Ronald Tremain, composer, music academic
• 26 July – Dixie Cockerton, netball player and coach, cricketer, school principal
• 29 July – Alex Griffiths, conservationist
• 31 July – Athol Meyer, politician
• 3 August – Ronnie Boon, rugby union player
• 7 August – Bill Laney, politician
• 27 August – Essie Summers, novelist
• 30 August – Sir Toss Woollaston, painter and writer
• 12 September – Neville Thornton, rugby union player
• 13 September – Sir Frank Renouf, stockbroker, businessman, philanthropist
• 15 September – Amy Harper, photographer
• 18 September – Andy Wiren, cricketer
• 23 September – Trevor Berghan, rugby union player

October–December

• 1 October – Jim Kearney, rugby union player
• 4 October – Tony Shelly, motor racing driver
• 18 October – Ilse von Randow, weaver
• 26 November – Sir Charles Bennett, broadcaster, military leader, public servant, diplomat, politician
• 6 December – Ken Comber, politician
• 8 December – Aaron Hopa, rugby union player
• 12 December – Phillippe Cabot, rugby union player