← 1985 1984 1983 1986 in New Zealand → 1987 1988 1989
Decades:	1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
See also:	History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history

The following lists events that happened during 1986 in New Zealand.

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,313,500.^[1]
• Increase since 31 December 1985: 10,400 (0.31%).^[1]
• Males per 100 Females: 97.9.^[1]

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – The Rt Revd. Sir Paul Reeves GCMG GCVO QSO^[2]

Government

The 41st New Zealand Parliament continued. The fourth Labour Party government was in power.

• Speaker of the House – Gerard Wall
• Prime Minister – David Lange
• Deputy Prime Minister – Geoffrey Palmer
• Minister of Finance – Roger Douglas
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – David Lange
• Chief Justice – Sir Ronald Davison

Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Jim McLay (National) until 26 March, then Jim Bolger (National).^[3]

Main centre leaders

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

Events

• 16 February – Soviet cruise ship Mikhail Lermontov sinks in the Marlborough Sounds.
• 22 February–2 March – The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visit New Zealand.^[4]
• 26 March – Jim Bolger replaces Jim McLay as leader of the National Party.
• 21 June – The Wanganui Herald publishes its last issue. The paper started in 1865 as The Evening Herald.^[5]
• 9 July – Parliament passes the Homosexual Law Reform Bill, 49 votes to 44; the law comes into effect on 8 August.
• 1 October – GST is introduced at a rate of 10%.
• 22 November – Pope John Paul II visits New Zealand for two days.
• December – The Royal Commission on the Electoral System produces a report recommending the adoption of a mixed member proportional electoral system.^[6]
• 13 December – The Constitution Act is passed, ending the right of the British Parliament to pass laws on behalf of New Zealand.
• 16 December – Māori loan affair raised by Winston Peters in Parliament.

Arts and literature

• Cilla McQueen wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.

See 1986 in art, 1986 in literature, Category:1986 books

Music

New Zealand Music Awards

Winners are shown first with nominees underneath.^[7]

• ALBUM OF THE YEAR Peking Man – Peking Man
  • The Verlaines – Halleujah
  • Patsy Riggir – Patsy Riggir Country
• SINGLE OF THE YEAR Peking Man – "Room That Echoes"
  • Ardijah – Give Me Your Number
  • Patea Maori Club featuring Dalvanius – E Papa
• BEST MALE VOCALIST Pat Urlich
  • Malcolm McNeill
  • Sonny Day
• BEST FEMALE VOCALIST Margaret Urlich
  • Betty Monga
  • Annie Crummer
• BEST GROUP Peking Man
  • The Patea Maori Group
  • Satellite Spies
• MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST Tex Pistol
  • Simon Alexandra
  • Lyonel Grant
• MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST Tania Rowles
  • Ainsley Day
  • Liz Diamond
• MOST PROMISING GROUP Ardijah
  • Chrome Safari
  • Wentworth Brewster & Co
• INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT Herbs
  • The Chills
  • Michael Roy Croft
• BEST VIDEO Kerry Brown – As The Sun Goes Down (Everything that Flies)
  • Stuart Dryborough – Good Luck To You
  • Fetus Productions/MEC – Flicker
• BEST PRODUCER Bruce Lynch – Peking Man
  • Ryan Monga/ Dave McArtney/ Trevor Reekie – Give Me Your Number (Ardijah)
  • Glyn Tucker – I Wish I'd Asked – (Satellite Spies)
• BEST ENGINEER Graeme Myhre – Peking Man
  • Ian Morris – Ballad of Buskin Bob
  • Paul Streekstra/Graham Myhre – Give Me Your Number
  • Graham Myhre – Drive Baby Drive
• BEST JAZZ ALBUM Phil Broadhurst Trio–Iris
  • John Niland – Inside
  • Alan Broadbent Trio – Further Down The Road
• BEST CLASSICAL ALBUM NZ Symphony Orchestra – A Song of Islands
  • Besser & Prosser – Dark Wind/Spring Rain
  • Eugene & Nicolai Albulescu – Rhapsody
  • Mina Foley / Michael Gifford – Mina Foley / Michael Gifford
• BEST COUNTRY ALBUM Patsy Riggir – Patsy Riggir Country
  • Suzanne Prentice – In Concert
  • Michael Roy Croft – Slow Burnin'
• BEST FOLK ALBUM Various Artists – Send The Boats Away
  • Chris and Lyn Thompson – Together
  • Boys of Spirit NZ Trust – Sea Shanties
• BEST GOSPEL ALBUM Samoan Congregational Christian Church Choir – Matou Te Fia Sauna
  • Paul and Colleen Trenwith and Friends – Brand New Day
  • Ray Watson – Asaph -Throne of Love
• BEST POLYNESIAN ALBUM The Five Stars – Flower of Samoa
  • O Savali A Keriso – E Le Mavae Le Alofa
  • Mahia Blackmore – Little Tui
• BEST SONG OF THE YEAR Dave Dobbyn – Slice of Heaven
  • Ryan Monga – Give Me Your Number
  • Dance Exponents – Caroline Skies
• BEST COVER Phil O'Reilly – Peking Man
  • Ngila Dickson – As the Sun Goes Down
  • Paula & Graham Reid – This Sporting Life

See: 1986 in music

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Johnny Bond.

Radio and television

• The State Owned Enterprises Act requires all State-owned enterprises, including Television New Zealand, to operate as commercially successful businesses. [1] Archived 22 February 2006 at the Wayback Machine

See: 1986 in New Zealand television, 1986 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, Category:Television in New Zealand, TV3 (New Zealand), Category:New Zealand television shows, Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

• Mark II
• Pallet on the Floor
• Queen City Rocker

See: Category:1986 film awards, 1986 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1986 films

Sport

Athletics

• John Campbell wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:15:19 on 1 June in Christchurch, while Sharon Higgins claims her first in the women's championship (2:45:44).

Commonwealth Games

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
8	16	14	38

Cricket

• New Zealand achieve historic test series wins over Australia and England.

Their 1–0 victory over Alan Border's Australians in February/March 1986 was their first series win over Australia at home with a 5 wicket win in the third test at Eden Park. This followed on from their 2-1 series win in Australia in November/December 1985, where Richard Hadlee took a record 33 wickets in three tests.

In June/July 1986 New Zealand achieved their first test series win in England, 1-0, winning the second test at Trent Bridge.

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Master Mood^[8]
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Comedy Lad^[9]

Shooting

• Ballinger Belt –
  • Mark Buchanan (Australia)
  • Chester Burt (Ashhurst), second, top New Zealander^[10]

Soccer

• The Chatham Cup is won by North Shore United who beat Mount Maunganui 4–2 on aggregate in the two-legged final.^[11]

Births

• 2 January: Nathan Cohen, rower, Olympic gold medallist (2012 London)
• 15 January: Isaia Toeava, rugby player.
• 29 January: Steven Broad, singer.
• 31 January: Olli Harder, association football coach and former player
• 13 February: Hamish Bond, rower, Olympic gold medallist (2012 London)
• 17 February: Steven Old, soccer player.
• 4 March: Manu Vatuvei, rugby league player.
• 5 March: Sean Eathorne, cricketer.
• 17 March (in South Africa): Corney Swanepoel, swimmer.
• 4 April: Richard Petherick, field hockey player.
• 20 April: Cameron Duncan, director and screenwriter (d. 2003)
• 21 April (in Australia): Ryan Kersten, basketballer.
• 5 May: Cole Tinkler, soccer player.
• 6 May: Tanerau Latimer, rugby player
• 15 May: Jo Aleh, sailor, Olympic gold medallist (2012 London)
• 4 September: Michael Murphy, singer.
• 16 September: Willie Lonsdale, cricketer.
• 24 September: Todd Astle, cricketer.
• 30 September: Martin Guptill, cricketer.
• 7 October: Amy Satterthwaite, cricketer.
• 14 October: Teresa Bergman, singer.

Category:1986 births

Deaths

• 25 January: Dennis Smith, cricketer.
• 24 April: Garnet Mackley, businessman and politician.
• 16 May: Joe Bootham, painter.
• 19 May: Leonard Trent, RNZAF pilot and Victoria Cross winner.
• 27 June: George Nēpia, rugby player.
• 10 August: Don McRae, cricketer and soccer player.
• 11 August: Peter Mahon, Queen's Counsel, judge.
• 25 September: Geoff Alley, rugby player, National Librarian.