2019 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during 2019 in New Zealand.

Incumbents

Regal and vice-regal

Head of State – Elizabeth II
Governor-General – Patsy Reddy

Government

The Sixth Labour Government, elected in 2017, continues.

Other party leaders in parliament

Judiciary

Chief Justice – Sian Elias until 13 March, then Helen Winkelmann
President of the Court of Appeal – Stephen Kós
Chief High Court judge – Geoffrey Venning
Chief District Court judge – Jan-Marie Doogue, then from 27 September Heemi Taumaunu

Main centre leaders

Mayor of Auckland – Phil Goff
Mayor of Tauranga – Greg Brownless, then from 24 October Tenby Powell
Mayor of Hamilton – Andrew King, then from 24 October Paula Southgate
Mayor of Wellington – Justin Lester, then from 30 October Andy Foster
Mayor of Christchurch – Lianne Dalziel
Mayor of Dunedin – Dave Cull, then from 25 October Aaron Hawkins

Events

January

14 January – Cryptocurrency exchange Cryptopia is hacked in one of the biggest heists in New Zealand history.
23 January – A cliffside at Cape Kidnappers collapses, seriously injuring two tourists.

February

5 February – 6 March – Wildfires in Nelson cause thousands to evacuate their homes.

March

8 March – Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub opens.
15 March – Shootings at two Christchurch mosques result in the deaths of 51 people.
16 March – Sky News Australia is pulled off the air by independently owned Sky New Zealand. The decision was made after the channel refused to stop showing graphic video footage that had been live-streamed by the Christchurch shooter at the two mosques in Christchurch.
19 March – Wellington Central Library closes indefinitely due to the building's earthquake vulnerabilities.
26 March – A state of emergency is declared in the Westland District due to severe weather.

May

21 May – Mine re-entry efforts into the Pike River Mine begin.
30 May – The 2019 New Zealand budget is presented to Parliament by the Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson.

June

3 June – The [2019 Birthday Honours (New Zealand)|2019 Queen's Official Birthday|Queen's Birthday Honours] are announced.
26 June – The primary school teachers' union New Zealand Educational Institute accepts the Government's NZ$1.5 billion collective agreement, which includes a new, unified pay scale. While primary teachers voted to accept the Government's offer, primary principals rejected the offer, demanding better pay and working conditions.
28 June – The secondary teachers' union the Post Primary Teachers' Association voted to accept the Government's pay offer.

July

19 July – A Christchurch house destroyed in a gas explosion results in six people being hospitalised.
26 July – The NZEI's kindergarten teacher members voted to accept a pay parity agreement with the Ministry of Education

October

12 October – voting for the 2019 local elections concludes.
22 October – The Skycity Convention Centre catches fire while still under construction, causing significant disruption in the Auckland CBD.

November

17–23 November – Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, make an official visit to Auckland, Northland, Christchurch and Kaikōura.
19 November – The Disney+ streaming service launches in New Zealand.
20 November – A severe hailstorm in Timaru occurs, with hail stones reaching the size of golf balls. Insurance claims totalled $170 million, making it, at the time, the costliest New Zealand weather event in the 21st century.

December

8 December – Severe rain causes landslides and flooding in the South Island, closing two state highways and Inland Scenic Route 72, and trapping 1000 tourists in South Westland.
9 December – Whakaari / White Island erupts, killing 21 and injuring 26.
19 December – Sky New Zealand acquires Spark New Zealand's Lightbox streaming service in order to merge it with its own Neon streaming service.
31 December – The 2020 New Year Honours are announced.

Holidays and observances

Public holidays in New Zealand in 2019 are as follows:

1 January – New Year's Day
2 January – Day after New Year's Day
6 February – Waitangi Day
19 April – Good Friday
21 April – Easter Sunday
22 April – Easter Monday
25 April – Anzac Day
3 June – Queen's Birthday
28 October – Labour Day
25 December – Christmas Day
26 December – Boxing Day

Sports

Cycling

27 January – Aaron Gate wins the New Zealand Cycle Classic

Rowing

New Zealand Secondary School Championships (Maadi Cup)
* Maadi Cup – Christchurch Boys' High School
* Levin 75th Jubilee Cup – St Margaret's College
* Star Trophy – Christchurch Boys' High School

Shooting

Ballinger Belt –
* Jim Bailey
* John Snowden, second, top New Zealander

Rugby union

England beat the All Blacks 19–7 in the semifinal of the 2019 Rugby World Cup

Births

28 September – Sharp 'N' Smart, Thoroughbred racehorse
15 November – Legarto, Thoroughbred racehorse

Deaths

January

1 January
* Ross Allen, cricket umpire and local politician, chair of Taranaki Regional Council .
* Elizabeth Edgar, botanist, Hutton Medal .
11 January – Wayne Blair, cricketer .
18 January – Reg Hart, rugby league player .
20 January – Ian Shirley, social work and public policy academic, social justice advocate.
23 January
* Aloysius Pang, Singaporean actor.
* Don Stark, cricketer .
25 January – Sir John Jeffries, politician, lawyer and jurist, Deputy Mayor of Wellington, chairmain of Air New Zealand, judge of the High Court, head of the Police Complaints Authority, chair of the New Zealand Press Council .
26 January – John Henderson, cricketer.
30 January – Murray Loudon, Olympic field hockey player .

February

3 February – Peter Posa, Hall of Fame guitarist.
6 February – John Cocks, builder and television personality .
9 February
* Judith McKinlay, biblical scholar .
* Neville Young, lawyer, National Party president, chair of the Earthquake Commission .
11 February – Allan Wild, architect and academic, Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Architects .
12 February – George Grindley, geologist, Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand .
14 February – Barrie Hutchinson, water polo player, British Empire Games silver medallist, rugby union player .
18 February
* George Cawkwell, classical scholar and rugby union player, Rhodes Scholar .
* Laura Solomon, novelist, playwright and poet, Bridport Prize .
* Peter Wells, writer and film-maker, co-founder of the Auckland Writers Festival.
23 February – Brian Halton, organic chemist, president of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry, Shorland Medal, Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand .
24 February – Ian Eliason, rugby union player .
27 February – Bill Playle, cricketer .

March

1 March – Mike Tamoaieta, rugby union player .
2 March – Keith Davis, rugby union player .
3 March – Leo de Castro, musician.
5 March – David Kear, geologist and science administrator, DSIR director-general, Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand .
7 March – Ron Russell, Canadian politician.
8 March – Ian Lawrence, local politician and Jewish community leader, Mayor of Wellington, Wellington Regional Councillor .
11 March – John Dawson, botanist, New Zealand Post Book of the Year .
14 March – Thomas Goddard, lawyer and jurist, chief judge of the Employment Court .
15 March – Atta Elayyan, futsal player .
22 March – Denzil Meuli, writer, newspaper editor, lawyer and Catholic priest, editor of Zealandia .
24 March – Finn Lowery, water polo player and lawyer, Rhodes Scholar .
28 March – Bill Culbert, artist.
30 March – Ron Elvidge, rugby union player, oldest living All Black .

April

2 April – George Salmond, public health administrator, Director-General of Health .
4 April – Ray Harper, rugby union player and administrator, NZRFU councillor .
5 April – Trevor McKee, Thoroughbred racehorse trainer .
8 April – Anzac Wallace, actor .
9 April – George McConnell, cricketer .
13 April – Dame Yvette Corlett, Hall of Fame track and field athlete, Olympic long jump champion, long jump world record holder, British Empire and Commonwealth Games long jump, discus throw and shot put champion, New Zealand Sportsman of the Year .
16 April – Len Hoogerbrug, architect.
17 April – Peter Cartwright, lawyer and statesman, viceregal consort .
19 April – Philip Liner, radio broadcaster .

May

2 May
* Duncan MacRae, rugby league player .
* Sister Pauline O'Regan, educator and writer, principal of Villa Maria College, principal of Mercy College .
7 May – Te Wharehuia Milroy, Māori language academic .
8 May – Peter Webb, art dealer, gallery director and auctioneer.
10 May
* Carey Adamson, air force officer, Chief of the Air Staff, Chief of Defence Force .
* Malcolm Black, musician and music lawyer, APRA Silver Scroll .
11 May
* Sir Hector Busby, Māori traditional navigator and waka builder.
* Pua Magasiva, actor and radio host .
15 May – Roger Blackley, art historian .
18 May
* Quentin Pongia, rugby league player .
* Doug Wilson, rugby union player .
21 May – Colin Atkinson, cricketer .
24 May – Sharon McAuslan, lawyer and jurist, District Court judge .
26 May – Percy Erceg, rugby union player, Tom French Cup .
27 May – Guy Jansen, music educator, choral founder and director .
30 May – Jim Bell, association footballer .
31 May – Sir Grant Hammond, lawyer, legal academic and jurist, High Court judge, Court of Appeal justice, president of the Law Commission .

June

2 June – Alistair Browning, actor, New Zealand Film Awards best supporting actor .
13 June – Merilyn Wiseman, potter, Arts Foundation Laureate Award .
14 June – Waana Davis, teacher, local politician and Māori arts leader, Palmerston North City Councillor, Toi Māori Aotearoa chair .
18 June
* Shirlene Colcord, one of the Lawson quintuplets.
* Bill Deacon, rugby league player .
* Shona Dunlop MacTavish, dancer, choreographer, and academic .
21 June – Geraldine Harcourt, Japanese–English translator .
25 June – Arthur Candy, Olympic and British Empire and Commonwealth Games cyclist.
30 June – Jim Gill, cricketer .

July

1 July – Gerald Cunningham, writer, photographer and historian.
4 July – Vernon McArley, cricketer .
6 July – Denis Pain, lawyer, judge, and sports administrator, District Court judge, Olympic eventing team manager .
9 July – Heather Nicholson, educator, writer, and geologist, Montana Medal for non-fiction .
12 July – Matthew Trundle, classics and ancient history academic .
15 July – Brian Coote, legal academic, Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand .
17 July – Warren Cole, Hall of Fame rower, Olympic champion, world championship bronze medallist .
19 July – Shirley Peterson, athlete, British Empire Games bronze medallist .
20 July
* Paddy Bassett, agricultural scientist, first female graduate from Massey University .
* Lance Pearson, cricketer and basketball player.
21 July – Peter Ramsay, educationalist and daffodil breeder, member of the Picot task force, Peter Barr Cup .
23 July – Ruth Gotlieb, local-body politician, Wellington City Councillor .
29 July – John Wybrow, public servant, politician and diplomat, Labour Party general secretary, High Commissioner to Canada .

August

1 August
* Raymond Boyce, stage and costume designer, and puppeteer, Fellow of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, Arts Foundation of New Zealand Icon .
* Llew Summers, sculptor.
2 August
* Stuart O'Connell, Roman Catholic bishop, Bishop of Rarotonga .
* Rob Storey, farmer and politician, Federated Farmers president, MP for Waikato, Minister of Transport .
* Helen Young, radio manager and arts advocate, New Zealand Radio Award for outstanding contribution to broadcasting .
3 August – Sir Brian Lochore, Hall of Fame rugby union player and coach, Member of the Order of New Zealand .
6 August – Rod Coleman, motorcycle road racer, Isle of Man Junior TT champion .
8 August – Mazhar Krasniqi, Muslim community leader.
11 August – Geoff Malcolm, physical chemist, Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry .
15 August – Noel Pope, local-body politician, Mayor of Tauranga .
16 August – Bruce Deans, rugby union player .
19 August – John Hempleman, motorcycle racer, East German Grand Prix 250cc and 500cc champion .
21 August – Lawrence Reade, cricketer .
23 August – Roaring Lion, Thoroughbred racehorse, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes .
25 August
* Sam McGredy, rose hybridiser .
* Ian Sinclair, cricketer .
26 August
* Felix Donnelly, Roman Catholic priest, social activist, academic, writer, and talkback radio host, founder of Youthline .
* Ray Henwood, forensic toxicologist and actor, co-founder of Circa Theatre .
* Pita Paraone, public servant and politician, New Zealand First list MP, Local Government Commission chair .
27 August – Tahu Potiki, Māori leader, chief executive officer of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu .
29 August – Don Aickin, obstetrician and gynaecologist .
30 August – Ken France, association footballer .

September

2 September – Kevin Percy, Olympic field hockey player .
4 September
* Charles Broad, cricketer and veterinarian.
* Peter Ellis, childcare worker wrongly convicted of child sexual abuse.
7 September
* Lawrie Creamer, protein chemist, Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand .
* Terry Horne, cricketer and business executive .
8 September – Ray Hitchcock, cricketer and racehorse breeder.
9 September – Alister Taylor, publisher.
12 September
* Wade Doak, marine conservationist.
* ʻAkilisi Pōhiva, Tongan politician, Prime Minister of Tonga .
18 September – Lady Anne Berry, horticulturalist .
27 September – Jack Lasenby, children's writer and editor, Margaret Mahy Medal, Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement .

October

2 October – Tiny Hill, rugby union player and official, All Blacks selector .
7 October
* Harvey Benge, photographer.
* Arnold Heine, Antarctic scientist, tramper and conservationist.
10 October – Marie Darby, marine biologist, first New Zealand woman to visit mainland Antarctica.
11 October – Heather Robson, badminton player and administrator, tennis player and administrator, Oceania Badminton Confederation president, Badminton World Federation lifetime achievement award .
14 October – Desmond Park, cricketer .
17 October – Rom Harré, philosopher, founder of ethogenics.
Between 16 and 22 October – Mike McClennan, rugby league player and coach .
22 October – Bill Thomson, Olympic field hockey squad member, and cricketer .
28 October – Ken McCracken, rugby league player .

November

2 November – Ian Cross, writer, journalist and broadcasting executive, Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand chair and chief executive .
5 November – Ed Dolejs, Hall of Fame softball coach .
9 November – Les Downes, cricketer .
16 November
* Nancy Brunning, actress, director and playwright.
* Drago Došen, artist.
18 November
* Ryan Costello, baseball player .
* Sandra Easterbrook, Hall of Fame netball player, world champion .
20 November – Alastair Smith, information science academic Victoria University of Wellington and cycling advocate.
21 November – Wally Clark, zoologist .
25 November – Bevin Hough, rugby league player and long jumper, British Empire Games silver medallist .

December

1 December – Sacred Falls, Thoroughbred racehorse, New Zealand 2000 Guineas, Doncaster Handicap, George Main Stakes .
3 December – Arthur Baysting, journalist, scriptwriter, songwriter and New Zealand music advocate.
5 December – Rick Bryant, musician .
6 December – Jules Mikus, convicted murderer.
8 December
* Joe Moodabe, cinema-chain manager.
* Tessa Temata, lawyer and diplomat, High Commissioner to the Cook Islands .
12 December
* Norman Kingsbury, educational administrator, University of Waikato registrar, New Zealand Qualifications Authority chief executive officer .
* Brian Muller, rugby union player .
* Sir Peter Snell, Hall of Fame athlete, triple Olympic champion and double British Commonwealth Games champion, Track & Field News Athlete of the Year, Lonsdale Cup, New Zealand Sportsman of the Year, New Zealand Sports Champion of the Century .
21 December
* Peter Bartlett, architect and academic, Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts .
* Sam Strahan, rugby union player and administrator, president of the Manawatu Rugby Union .
22 December
* Bill Lambert, politician, MP for Western Hutt .
* Campbell Thomas, theatre director .
29 December – Ken Strongman, psychology academic, book and television reviewer, Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand .
31 December – Diana Martin, microbiologist, Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand .