1999 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,851,100.
• Increase since 31 December 1998: 22,500.
• Males per 100 Females: 96.5.

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 then Jonathan Hunt
• Prime Minister - Jenny Shipley then Helen Clark
• Deputy Prime Minister - Wyatt Creech then Jim Anderton
• Minister of Finance - Bill Birch then Bill English then Bill Birch then Michael Cullen
• Minister of Foreign Affairs - Don McKinnon then Phil Goff
• Chief Justice — Sir Thomas Eichelbaum, Sian Elias

Opposition leaders

• National - TBD
• Greens - Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald
• Act - TBD
• New Zealand First - Winston Peters
• United New Zealand - TBD

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – Christine Fletcher
• Mayor of Hamilton – Russ Rimmington
• Mayor of Wellington – Mark Blumsky
• Mayor of Christchurch – Garry Moore
• Mayor of Dunedin – Sukhi Turner

Events

• The Animal Welfare Act 1999 is passed into law
• The Pohatu Marine Reserve was formally established
• Kapiti Island is declared free of mammalian predators.
• 3 May: The Daily Telegraph and The Hawke's Bay Herald Tribune merge to form Hawke's Bay Today.
• 7 July: A daytime meteor is visible throughout New Zealand.
• 11–15 September: State visit by United States President Bill Clinton to attend the 11th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders meeting; the second Presidential visit after Lyndon Johnson in 1966; see Visit.
• 6 October: A rock avalanche from Mount Adams blocks the Poerua River, forming a dam. It failed on 12 October after significant rain.
• 11 October: United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan visits New Zealand.
• 26 October: A magnitude 6.2 earthquake strikes west of Taupō.
• 27 November: The last "dry" electorates in New Zealand voted to go "wet" and to allow alcohol sales.
• 1 December: Changes to alcohol licensing in the Sale of Liquor Amendment Act: Sunday sales in on-licence and off licence premises, supermarkets could sell beer and the drinking age dropped from 20 to 18; the changes were passed by Parliament, 59 to 55.

Arts and literature

• Michael King and Paula Boock win the Robert Burns Fellowship.
• Montana New Zealand Book Awards:
• *Montana Medal: Heather Nicholson, The Loving Stitch: A history of knitting and spinning in New Zealand
• *Deutz Medal: Elizabeth Knox, The Vintner's Luck
• *Reader's Choice: Elizabeth Knox, The Vintner's Luck
• *First Book Awards
• **Fiction: Willian Brandt, Alpha Male
• **Poetry: Kate Camp, Unfamiliar Legends of the Stars
• **Non-Fiction: Helen Schamroth, 100 New Zealand Craft Artists

Music

[New Zealand Music Awards]

• Album of the Year: The Feelers - Supersystem
• *Che Fu - 2b S Pacific
• *Neil Finn - Try Whistling This
• Single of the Year: Che Fu - Scene III
• *The Feelers - Venus
• *Ardijah - Love So Right
• Top Male Vocalist: Neil Finn
• *Dave Dobbyn
• *James Reid
• Top Female Vocalist: Betty-Anne Monga
• *Sulata Foai
• *Alesha Siosiua
• Top Group: The Feelers
• *Ardijah
• *Shihad
• Most Promising Male Vocalist: Andrew Tilby
• *King Kapisi
• *Nathan King
• Most Promising Female Vocalist: Boh Runga
• *Liz Faalogo
• *Sina Saipaia
• Most Promising Group: Stellar*
• *Breathe
• *Zed
• International Achievement: Bic Runga
• *Neill Finn
• *The Feelers
• Best Music Video: Reuben Sutherland Wait & See
• *Sima & Makerita Urale- Sub Cranium Feeling
• *Mark Tierney & Fiona Champtloup - Unlikely
• Best Producer: Malcolm Welsford & The Feelers - Supersystem
• *Eddie Raynor - ENZSO 2
• *Che Fu & Andy Morton - 2b Spacific
• Best Engineer: Andy Morton - 2BS Pacific
• *Sam Gibson - Try Whistling This
• *Malcolm Welsford - Supersystem
• Best Jazz Album: Chris White / Aaron Nevezie Quartet - Take Me With You
• *Wil Sargisson - Steppin'Out
• *Rodger Fox Quartet - Back To Being One
• Best Classical Album: Alexander Ivashkin - Under The Southern Cross
• *Tamas Vesmas - Debussy, Bartok Piano Music
• *New Zealand String Quartet - Bartok The Six Quartets
• Best Country Album: Barry Saunders - Magnetic South
• *Glen Moffat - A Place To Play
• *Home Tonight - Coalrangers
• Best Folk Album: Windy City Strugglers - On Top of the World
• *Gallowglass - Sparven
• *Philip Riley & Jayne Elleson - The Blessing Tree
• Best Gospel Album: Parachute Band - Always & Forever
• *Debbie Harwood and Friends - Angels - The New Zealand Christmas Album
• *Steve Apirana - It's Inevitable
• Best Mana Maori Album: Moana and the Moahunters - Rua
• *Hori Chapman - Toku Reo
• *Waihirere Maori Club - Waihirere -National Champions
• *Ngati Rangiwewehi - Wairua -Spirit of Ngati Rangiwewehi
• Best Mana Reo Album: Traditional Waiata - He Waiata Onemata
• *Ngati Rangiwewehi - Wairua -Spirit of Ngati Rangiwewehi
• *Moana & The Moahunters - Rua
• *Waihirere Maori Club - Waihirere National Champions
• Best Children's Album: Jennifer Moss - Jennifer's Garden
• *David LaPlance - A Hand Full of Songs
• *Universal Children's Audio - Kori Kori / Busi Bodies / Lue Lue Mai
• *Tessarose Productions - Dancing to the Beat Volume 2
• Best Songwriter: James Reid - Venus
• *Dave Dobbyn - Beside You
• *Neil Finn - She Will Have Her Way
• Best Cover: Elroy Finn - Try Whistling This
• *Marcus Ringrose - Supersystem
• *Mark Roach & Andrew Durno - HLAH IV: Are You Gonna Kiss It Or Shoot It?
• New Zealand Radio Programmer Award: Melanie Wise - Q92FM Queenstown
• *Tony Neilsen -Radio Otago Group
• *Jo Hampton - NRG FM
• *Robert Taylor - Radio Hauraki

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Gerry Merito.

Radio and television

• The famous Toyota Hilux Bugger TV Commercial goes to air on New Zealand television for the very first time.
• TVNZ sells its shareholding in SKY Network Television.

Film

• Channelling Baby
• I'll Make You Happy
• Savage Honeymoon
• Scarfies

Internet

Sport

• See: 1999 in sports, :Category:1999 in sports

Athletics

• Phil Costley wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:17:43 on 24 October in Auckland, while Gabrielle O'Rourke claims her second as well in the women's championship.

Basketball

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

Cricket

• 1999 Cricket World Cup held in England: New Zealand finished third in its pool and fourth in the super-six round before being beaten by Pakistan in the first semifinal.
• The Shell Trophy for 1998-99 was won by Canterbury, with Northern Districts runners-up.

Golf

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Homin Hosed
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Happy Asset

Netball

• Silver Ferns
• National Bank Cup
• Netball World Championships

Rugby league

• The 1999 Tri Nations series was hosted by Auckland
• 1999 Auckland Warriors season
• Bartercard Cup
• New Zealand national rugby league team
• Rugby League World Cup

Rugby union

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

Shooting

• Ballinger Belt – Rick Fincham

Soccer

• The Chatham Cup is won by Dunedin Technical who beat Waitakere City F.C. 4–0 in the final.

Births

January–March

• 7 January – Scott Gregory, rugby union player
• 16 January – Michael Woud, association footballer
• 18 January
• * Ajeet Rai, tennis player
• * Malia Steinmetz, association footballer
• 20 January – Sarpreet Singh, association footballer
• 27 January – Kaleb Trask, rugby union player
• 19 February – Jacqui Hand, association footballer
• 23 February – Emily Shearman, cyclist
• 25 February – Nando Pijnaker, association footballer
• 6 March – Mawene Hiroti, rugby league player
• 12 March – Murray Taulagi, rugby league player
• 23 March – Danny Toala, rugby union player
• 29 March – Caleb Clarke, rugby union player

April–June

• 3 April – Chanel Harris-Tavita, rugby league player
• 4 April – Lwamba Chileshe, squash player
• 10 April – Grace Jale, association footballer
• 15 April – Dalton Wilkins, association footballer
• 19 April – Connor Garden-Bachop, rugby union player
• 22 April – Finn Allen, cricketer
• 27 April – Joe Bell, association footballer
• 30 April
• * Callum McCowatt, association footballer
• * Dallas McLeod, rugby union player
• 10 May – Quinn Tupaea, rugby union player
• 13 May – Alex Greive, association footballer
• 14 May
• * Miguel Porteous, freestyle skier
• * Billy Proctor, rugby union player
• 8 June – Dane Ingham, association footballer
• 13 June – Maddi Wesche, shot putter
• 29 June – Madison Doar, field hockey player

July–September

• 2 July – Hayze Perham, rugby league player
• 4 July – Lewis Clareburt, swimmer
• 10 July – Naitoa Ah Kuoi, rugby union player
• 20 July – Devan Flanders, rugby union player
• 7 August – Emmerson Houghton, water polo player
• 13 August – Eziyoda Magbegor, basketball player
• 20 August
• * Oregon Kaufusi, rugby league player
• * Etene Nanai-Seturo, rugby union player
• 3 September – Fergus Burke, rugby union player
• 21 September
• * Claudia Bunge, association footballer
• * Katene Clarke, cricketer
• 22 September – Finn Bilous, freestyle skier
• 27 September – Lucky Owners, Thoroughbred racehorse

October–December

• 7 October – Kate Heffernan, cricketer
• 11 October – Leicester Fainga'anuku, rugby union player
• 17 October – Gabrielle Fa'amausili, swimmer
• 28 October – Campbell Pithie, cyclist
• 30 October – Caleb Muntz, rugby union player
• 9 November
• * Tiarn Collins, snowboarder
• * St Reims, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 10 November – Matthew Fisher, cricketer
• 16 November
• * Bella Armstrong, cricketer
• * Moeaki Fotuaika, rugby league player
• 17 November – Ronaldo Mulitalo, rugby league player
• 18 November – Rachin Ravindra, cricketer
• 29 November – Bobbi Gichard, swimmer
• 5 December – William Stedman, athlete
• 12 December – Jakob Bhula, cricketer
• 19 December – Elsu, Standardbred racehorse
• 20 December – Cullen Grace, rugby union player
• 30 December
• * George Congreve, speedway rider
• * Hazel Ouwehand, swimmer
• 31 December
• * Ellesse Andrews, racing cyclist
• * Reid Walker, actor

Undated

• Keegan Smith, association footballer
• Grace Stratton, blogger, fashion entrepreneur
• Riiki Reid, singer-songwriter, producer and dance choreographer

Deaths

January–March

• 5 January – Michael Hirschfeld, businessman, politician
• 17 January – Alister Hopkinson, rugby union player and coach
• 20 January – Martyn Finlay, politician
• 16 February – Don Hayward, rugby union and rugby league player
• 8 March – Barney Clarke, boxer
• 19 March – Freda Stark, dancer
• 28 March – Doody Townley, harness-racing driver

April–June

• 13 April – Ortvin Sarapu, chess player
• 19 April – Doug Dillon, jurist
• 28 April – Harold Wellman, geologist
• 29 April – Barbara Bevege, cricketer
• 30 April – Bruce Jesson, journalist, republican activist, politician
• 9 May – Jeff Whittington, murder victim
• 12 May – Dan Walls, theoretical physics academic
• 17 May – Chris Corne, linguist
• 21 May – Yvonne Lawley, actor
• 22 May – Maxwell Fernie, organist, music teacher and conductor
• 8 June – Brian Shorland, organic chemist
• 10 June – SIr Leonard Thornton, army officer
• 12 June – Gerry Clark, sailer, writer, ornithologist
• 25 June – Bill Rapson, chemist

July–September

• 5 July –
• * Keith Bagley, rugby union player
• * Len Butterfield, cricketer
• 22 July – Syd Jensen, motorcycle racer, motor racing driver
• 24 July – Rona McKenzie, cricketer
• 2 August – Charles Rappolt, politician
• 9 August – Les Riley, cricketer
• 10 August – Jens Hansen, jeweller
• 12 August – Wilfrid Kalaugher, athlete, cricketer, school teacher
• 23 August – Frank Tredrea, cyclist
• 24 August – Peter Mann, Anglican bishop
• 27 August – Don Crabb, association footballer
• 28 August – Muriel Hilton, politician, Mayor of Timaru
• 31 August – Sylvia Potts, middle-distance athlete
• 1 September – Joe Genet, wrestler
• 5 September – Robert Arthur Owens, Mayor of Tauranga

October–December

• 5 October – Jack Somerville, Presbyterian leader
• 17 October – Ralph Grey, Baron Grey of Naunton, diplomat
• 22 October – Martin Donnelly, cricketer
• 25 October
• * Rosalie Gascoigne, sculptor
• * David Thomson, politician
• 2 November – Hardy Browning, potter, local politician
• 11 November – Bob Walls, artist
• 14 November – Garth Harris, taxation law academic
• 25 November – Sua Sulu'ape Paulo II, Samoan master tattooist
• 1 December – Frank Newhook, plant pathology academic
• 6 December – Sheikh Khalid Hafiz, Muslim cleric
• 13 December – Peter Adams, actor