The following lists events that happened during 1981 in New Zealand.

Population

* Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,194,500 * Increase since 31 December 1980: 18,100 (0.57%) * Males per 100 females: 98.7

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

Head of State A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...

–

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

Governor-General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

– The Hon

Sir David Beattie Sir David Stuart Beattie, (29 February 1924 – 4 February 2001) was an Australian-born New Zealand judge who served as the List of Governors-General of New Zealand, 14th Governor-General of New Zealand, from 1980 to 1985. During the 1984 New Z ...

GCMG The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III. It is named in honour ...

GCVO The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, or ...

QSO QC.

Government

The 39th New Zealand Parliament, led by the National Party, concluded, and in the

general election A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...

the party was re-elected in the 40th New Zealand Parliament. Support for the government decreased, however, with the Labour Party receiving the largest portion of the popular vote. *

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...

– Richard Harrison.Lambert & Palenski: ''The New Zealand Almanac'', 1982. *

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

–

Robert Muldoon Sir Robert David Muldoon (; 25 September 19215 August 1992) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand, from 1975 to 1984, while leader of the National Party. Serving as a corporal and sergeant in th ...

Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, ...

–

Brian Talboys Sir Brian Edward Talboys (7 June 1921 – 3 June 2012) was a New Zealand politician who served as the seventh deputy prime minister of New Zealand for the first two terms of Robert Muldoon's premiership. If the abortive " Colonels' Coup" a ...

then Duncan MacIntyre. *

Minister of Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...

–

. *

Minister of Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...

–

then

Warren Cooper Warren Ernest Cooper (born 21 February 1933) is a former New Zealand politician. He was a National Party MP from 1975 to 1996, holding cabinet positions including Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defence. Cooper also twice served as ...

. *

Attorney-General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

–

Jim McLay Sir James Kenneth McLay (born 21 February 1945) is a New Zealand diplomat and former politician. He served as the ninth deputy prime minister of New Zealand from 15 March to 26 July 1984. McLay was also Leader of the National Party and Leader ...

. * Chief Justice — Sir

Ronald Davison Sir Ronald Keith Davison (16 November 1920 – 2 July 2015) was a New Zealand lawyer and jurist. He served as the tenth Chief Justice of New Zealand from 1978 to 1989, Early life and family Born in Kaponga on 16 November 1920, Davison was the ...

Parliamentary opposition

Leader of the Opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...

–

Bill Rowling Sir Wallace Edward Rowling (; 15 November 1927 – 31 October 1995), commonly known as Bill Rowling, was a New Zealand politician who was the 30th prime minister of New Zealand from 1974 to 1975. He held office as the parliamentary leader of t ...

(

Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

). * Social Credit Party –

Bruce Beetham Bruce Craig Beetham (16 February 1936 – 3 May 1997) was an academic and politician from New Zealand, whose career spanned the 1970s and early 1980s. A lecturer at Hamilton's University of Waikato and at the Hamilton Teachers' Training Colle ...

Main centre leaders

Mayor of Auckland The Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland Region in New Zealand, which it controls as a unitary authority. The position exists since October 2010 after the amalga ...

–

Colin Kay Colin Milton Kay (30 October 1926 – 5 June 2008) was a New Zealand sportsman and politician. He was the 34th Mayor of Auckland City, elected for one term serving from 1980 to 1983, and chairman of the Auckland Regional Council from 1986 to 1 ...

* Mayor of Hamilton –

Ross Jansen Sir Ross Malcolm Jansen (6 September 1932 – 15 December 2010) was a New Zealand local-body politician. He served as mayor of Hamilton from 1977 to 1989. He was an expert in local government, held a variety of positions, was academically ackno ...

Mayor of Wellington The Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of the City of Wellington. The mayor presides over the Wellington City Council. The mayor is directly elected using the Single Transferable Vote method of proportional representati ...

–

Michael Fowler Sir Edward Michael Coulson Fowler (19 December 1929 – 12 July 2022) was a New Zealand architect and author who served as mayor of Wellington from 1974 to 1983. Early life and family Fowler was born on 19 December 1929 in Marton, the son of ...

Mayor of Christchurch The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system. The current mayor, Phil ...

–

Hamish Hay Sir Hamish Grenfell Hay (8 December 1927 – 7 September 2008) was a New Zealand politician, who served as Mayor of Christchurch for fifteen years, from 1974 to 1989. He was Christchurch's longest-serving mayor. Early life and family Hay was one ...

Mayor of Dunedin The Mayor of Dunedin is the head of the local government, the city council of Dunedin, New Zealand. The Mayor's role is "to provide leadership to the other elected members of the territorial authority, be a leader in the community and perform c ...

– Clifford George (Cliff) Skeggs

Events

* January –

Nambassa Nambassa was a series of hippie-conceived festivals held between 1976 and 1981 on large farms around Waihi and Waikino in New Zealand. They were music, arts and alternatives festivals that focused on peace, love, and an environmentally friendly ...

five-day celebration of music, crafts and alternative lifestyles culture on farm at Waitawheta Valley between

Waihi Waihi is a town in Hauraki District in the North Island of New Zealand, especially notable for its history as a gold mine town. The town is at the foot of the Coromandel Peninsula, close to the western end of the Bay of Plenty. The nearby res ...

and

Waikino Waikino is a small settlement at the eastern end of a gorge in the North Island of New Zealand alongside the Ohinemuri River, between Waihi and the Karangahake Gorge. The Waikino district lies at the base of the ecologically sensitive Coromandel ...

. Attendance 20,000. * January – The second

Sweetwaters Music Festival Sweetwaters Music Festival was a series of events held between 1980 and 1999, at venues such as a farm in Ngāruawāhia, then further north on a farm near Pukekawa, and finally at South Auckland, New Zealand. Events *1980 - Ngāruawāhia *1981 ...

is held near

Ngāruawāhia Ngāruawāhia () is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located north-west of Hamilton at the confluence of the Waikato and Waipā Rivers, adjacent to the Hakarimata Range. Ngāruawāhia is in the Hamilton Ur ...

. * 27 April – The Mahon Report into the crash of

Air New Zealand Flight 901 The Mount Erebus disaster occurred on 28 November 1979 when Air New Zealand Flight 901 (TE-901) flew into Mount Erebus on Ross Island, Antarctica, killing all 237 passengers and 20 crew on board. Air New Zealand had been operating scheduled Ant ...

is released, in which Justice Peter Mahon famously accuses

Air New Zealand Air New Zealand Limited () is the flag carrier airline of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 20 domestic and 30 international destinations in 18 countries, primarily around and within the Pacific ...

of telling "an orchestrated litany of lies". * May – The first ATM in New Zealand was introduced in Wellington by the Northern Building Society. * July – Passports reintroduced for New Zealanders travelling to Australia. The Australian Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drugs says the exemption was exploited; travel had not required passports following the 1972 Trans-Tasman Travel Agreement. * 13 July – The South African rugby union team ("Springboks") arrives in New Zealand to begin the 1981 Springbok Tour * 25 July – 1981 Springbok Tour: The match between South Africa and

Waikato Waikato () is a Regions of New Zealand, local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton City ...

Rugby Park Rugby Park, also known as The BBSP Stadium Rugby Park for sponsorship reasons, is a football stadium situated in the Scottish town of Kilmarnock. It was first used in 1899 and is the home of Kilmarnock F.C. Rugby Park has also been used for con ...

, Hamilton, is cancelled after 350 anti-apartheid protesters invade the pitch. * 13 September – The Springbok rugby team leave New Zealand. * 14 October –

Christopher John Lewis Christopher John Lewis (7 September 1964 – 23 September 1997) was a New Zealand criminal who made an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II in 1981. He planned later attempts at assassinating other British royal family me ...

attempts to assassinate

. * The Kohanga reo scheme is established by the

Department of Māori Affairs Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

. * The

Food Act 1981 The Food Act 1981 was an Act of Parliament in New Zealand. It is administered by the Ministry for Primary Industries. The Food Act 2014 replaced the Food Act progressively over three years from when it came into force in 2016. Provisions W ...

is passed into law. * The

Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve The Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve is a protected area off the coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The reserve, established in 1981 and covering an area of , is administered by the Department of Conservation (New Zealand), Department o ...

is established

Arts and literature

*William Sewell wins the

Robert Burns Fellowship The Robert Burns Fellowship is a New Zealand literary residency. Established in 1958 to coincide with bicentennial celebrations of the birth of Robert Burns, it is often claimed to be New Zealand's premier literary residency. The list of past ...

See 1981 in art,

1981 in literature This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1981. Events *May 31 – The burning of Jaffna Public Library in Sri Lanka is begun by a mob of police and government-sponsored paramilitaries. They destroy over 9 ...

, :1981 books

Music

New Zealand Music Awards The Aotearoa Music Awards (previously called the New Zealand Music Awards), conferred annually by Recorded Music NZ, honour outstanding artistic and technical achievements in the recording industry. The awards are among the most significant that ...

Winners are shown first and in boldface with nominees underneath. *ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos – Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos ** Dennis O'Brien – Still in the same Dream ** Hammond Gamble – Hammond Gamble Band *SINGLE OF THE YEAR: Coup D'État – Doctor, I Like Your Medicine **

Blam Blam Blam Blam Blam Blam were a New Zealand pop/rock/alternative band. Tim Mahon (bass) and Mark Bell (guitar, vocals) had been members of The Plague and The Whizz Kids. After losing their drummer Ian Gilroy to The Swingers in 1980, Tim and Mark joine ...

– No Depression in New Zealand ** Screaming Meemees – See Me Go *TOP MALE VOCALIST: Dave McArtney (Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos) **Deane Waretinei **Hammond Gamble *TOP FEMALE VOCALIST:

Suzanne Prentice Suzanne Lena Prentice (born 19 September 1958 in Invercargill) is a New Zealand politician and country singer. Her most successful single "When I Dream" peaked at number 11 in New Zealand during 1982. In the 1995 Queen's Birthday Honours, Prent ...

**Jenny Morris **Tina Cross *TOP GROUP: Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos – Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos **Newmatics **Coup DE'tat *MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST: Dave McArtney **Paul Schreider **David Hollis **Richard Eriwata *MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST: Anne Dumont **Celine Toner **Jenny Morris *MOST PROMISING GROUP:

The Screaming Meemees The Screaming Meemees were a New Zealand post-punk-New wave music, new wave Band (music), band formed in the early 1980s. The band formed in Auckland in 1979, while at school at Rosmini College on Auckland's North Shore, composed of vocalist Ton ...

**Blam Blam Blam **Pop Mechanix *ENGINEER OF THE YEAR: Dave Hurley & Graham Myhre – Dave McArtney & the Pink Flamingos **Graham Myhre – Remember the Alamo **Gerry Smith – Still in the Same Dream *PRODUCER OF THE YEAR:

Bruce Lynch Bruce Lynch (born 1 June 1948, in New Zealand) is an electric and acoustic bassist, producer and arranger. Music career Arriving in the UK in the mid-1970s, Lynch became a commercially successful session musician, touring extensively with C ...

– Dave McArtney and the Pink Flamingos **James Hall – Breaking in Another Day **James Hall – Still in the Same Dream *BEST COVER DESIGN: David Hollis – Caught Alive **Mark Clare – Broadcast O.R **Hal Chapman – Dave McArtney and the Pink Flamingos *SPECIAL AWARD: Fred Smith – Services to the Recording Industry (particularly with regard to Copyright) See:

1981 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1981. Specific locations *1981 in British music *1981 in Norwegian music Specific genres *1981 in country music *1981 in heavy metal music *1981 in hip hop music *1981 in ja ...

Performing arts

Benny Award The Benny Award is bestowed on a New Zealand variety entertainer. It is presented annually by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand, a non-for-profit organisation and showbusiness club, founded in 1966 and awarded to a variety performer who ha ...

presented by the

Variety Artists Club of New Zealand The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Inc (VAC) is a non-for-profit organisation and show business club. It was founded in 1966 and became an incorporated society in 1972. The VAC was formed to promote goodwill within the New Zealand enterta ...

to Marcus Craig.

Radio and television

*Feltex Television Awards: **Best Drama: ''

Mortimer's Patch ''Mortimer's Patch'' was a popular TVNZ police drama from the early 1980s. It featured actors Terence Cooper, Sean Duffy, Don Selwyn and Jim Hickey and depicted detective and police work in the fictional town of "Cobham". It was filmed in a ...

'' **Best Speciality: ''Sport on One – Sunday'' **Best Entertainment: ''Radio Times'' **Best Documentary: ''Moriori'' **Best Children's: ''Video Dispatch'' **Best Information: ''

Country Calendar ''Country Calendar'' is a New Zealand documentary television series focusing on rural life in New Zealand. It has been aired on TVNZ 1 since March 1966, making it New Zealand's longest-running television series. Since 2013 the show aired for a se ...

'' **Best Current Affairs: ''

Close Up A close-up or closeup in filmmaking, television production, still photography, and the comic strip medium is a type of shot that tightly frames a person or object. Close-ups are one of the standard shots used regularly with medium and long ...

'' **Best Actor:

Terence Cooper Terence Cooper (5 July 1933 – 16 September 1997) was a British film actor, best known for his roles in Australian and New Zealand television and film. Biography Born in 1933 at Carnmoney, a district of the modern-day borough of Newtownabbey ...

**Best Actress: Glynis McNicol **Best Script: ''Little Big Man Takes a Shot at the Moon'' **Best Television Entertainer: Hudson and Halls **Stan Hosgood Award for Allied Craft: Logan Brewer, Set designer for '' Hunters Gold'', '' Gather Your Dreams'', '' Children of Fire Mountain'', ''

I Pagliacci ''Pagliacci'' (; literal translation, "Clowns") is an Italian opera in a prologue and two acts, with music and libretto by Ruggero Leoncavallo. The opera tells the tale of Canio, actor and leader of a commedia dell'arte theatrical company, who mu ...

'' See: 1981 in New Zealand television,

1981 in television For 1981 in television, see: *1981 in Albanian television * 1981 in American television *1981 in Australian television * 1981 in Austrian television *1981 in Belgian television *1981 in Brazilian television *1981 in British television * 1981 in C ...

List of TVNZ television programming This is an incomplete list of television programmes, past and present, screened on TVNZ, Television New Zealand that were made in New Zealand. Programmes Regular shows (screened throughout the year) Seasonal shows One-off series Shows tha ...

, :Television in New Zealand, :New Zealand television shows,

Public broadcasting in New Zealand Public broadcasting in New Zealand is funded through New Zealand Government body New Zealand On Air, and consists of a number of television channels, radio stations, and websites. In addition to funding solely public media outlets, New Zealand On ...

Film

*''

Pictures An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...

'' *''

Race for the Yankee Zephyr ''Race for the Yankee Zephyr'' (also known as ''Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr'') is a 1981 action adventure film directed by David Hemmings and starring Ken Wahl, Lesley Ann Warren, George Peppard and Donald Pleasence. Plot Gibbie Gibson (Donal ...

'' *''

Smash Palace ''Smash Palace'' is a New Zealand feature film that premiered at Cannes in May 1981 and was released theatrically in April 1982. The film chronicles a former race car driver (played by Bruno Lawrence) who inadvertently contributes to the end of ...

'' *''

Wildcat The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while the ...

'' *'' Dead Kids/Strange Behavior'' See: :1981 film awards,

1981 in film The following is an overview of events in 1981 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths. Highest-grossing films (U.S.) The top ten films released in 1981 by box o ...

List of New Zealand feature films This is a list of feature films and pre 1910 short films produced or filmed in New Zealand, ordered by year of release. Key * * = Funded in part by the New Zealand Film Commission. * † = Year given is date of principal photography rather th ...

Cinema of New Zealand Cinema may refer to: Film * Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking * ...

, :1981 films

Sport

Athletics

Paul Ballinger Paul Ballinger (born 25 March 1953) is a retired long-distance runner from New Zealand, who won the 1982 edition of the Fukuoka Marathon, clocking 2:10:15 on 5 December 1982 setting the current national record. A year later he finished in 27th pla ...

wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:17:28 on 2 May in

Rotorua Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. The city lies on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authority encompass ...

, while Christine Munro claims her first title in the women's championship (2:56:04).

Chess

* The 88th

New Zealand Chess Championship The New Zealand Chess Championship was first conducted in 1879. Note: Up until 1934 foreign players were eligible for the title. The eligibility rules were changed in 1935 to preclude this; John Angus Erskine (twice champion in 1929 and 1935) was ...

is held in Christchurch. There is a three-way tie between Ewen McGowen Green,

Ortvin Sarapu Ortvin Sarapu (born Ortvin Sarapuu; 22 January 1924 – 13 April 1999), known in New Zealand as "Mr Chess", was an Estonian-born chess player who emigrated to New Zealand and won or shared the New Zealand Chess Championship 20 times from 1 ...

, and Vernon A. Small .

Cricket

*1 February:

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Au ...

Trevor Chappell Trevor Martin Chappell (born 12 October 1952) is a former Australian cricketer, a member of the South Australian Chappell family which excelled at cricket. He played 3 tests and 20 One Day Internationals for Australia. He won the Sheffield Shi ...

bowled an

underarm delivery Underarm bowling is a style of bowling in cricket. The style is as old as the sport itself. Until the introduction of the roundarm style in the first half of the 19th century, bowling was performed in the same way as in the sport of bowls, with ...

to batsman

Brian McKechnie Brian John McKechnie (born 6 November 1953) is a former " double All Black" - representing New Zealand in both rugby union and cricket. Rugby career He played 26 matches for the All Blacks as a first five-eighth and fullback, most memorably be ...

in a One-day International cricket match, the third of five matches in the final of the Benson & Hedges

World Series Cup The Australian Tri-Series was an annual one day international (ODI) cricket tournament held in Australia, and contested by Australia and two touring teams. The series was the primary format for international one-day cricket throughout most of t ...

Horse racing

Harness racing

New Zealand Trotting Cup The New Zealand Cup for standardbred horses, also known as either the New Zealand Trotting Cup or the New Zealand Pacing Cup is a Group One (G1) harness race held annually by the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club at Addington Raceway in Chri ...

: Armalight *

Auckland Trotting Cup The Auckland Pacing Cup which is sometimes referred to as the Auckland Trotting Cup or merely the Auckland Cup is a race held at Alexandra Park in Auckland, New Zealand for Standardbred horses. It is one of the two major harness races, along with ...

: Delightful Lady – 2nd win

Rugby union

* 13 June: The

All Blacks The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987 ...

beat

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

11–4 at

Carisbrook Carisbrook (sometimes incorrectly referred to as Carisbrook Stadium) was a major sporting venue in Dunedin, New Zealand. The city's main domestic and international rugby union venue, it was also used for other sports such as cricket, football, ...

* 20 June: The All Blacks beat Scotland 40–15 at

Eden Park Eden Park is New Zealand's largest sports stadium, with a capacity of 50,000. Located in central Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, it is three kilometres southwest of the CBD, on the boundary between the suburbs of Mount Eden and King ...

* 15 August: The All Blacks beat

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

14–9 at

Lancaster Park Lancaster Park, also known as Jade Stadium and AMI Stadium for sponsorship reasons, was a sports stadium in Waltham, a suburb of Christchurch in New Zealand. The stadium was closed permanently due to damage sustained in the February 2011 eart ...

as part of the 1981 Springbok Tour * 29 August: The All Blacks lost 12–24 to South Africa at Athletic Park as part of the 1981 Springbok Tour * 12 September: The All Blacks beat South Africa 25–22 at Eden Park as part of the 1981 Springbok Tour * 24 October: The All Blacks beat

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

14–6 in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

* 14 November: The All Blacks beat

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

13–9 in

Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...

* 21 November: The All Blacks beat France 18–6 in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

* The North vs South match is played in Dunedin and won by North, 10-4Palenski, R. and Lambert, M. ''The New Zealand Almanac'', 1982. Moa Almanac Press.

Shooting

*Ballinger Belt – Diane Blaymires (Te Puke)

Soccer

* The

All Whites The New Zealand men's national football team ( mi, Tīma hoka a-motu o Aotearoa) represents New Zealand in men's international football competitions. The team is governed by the governing body for football in New Zealand, New Zealand Footbal ...

qualify for the 1982 Football World Cup *

New Zealand National Soccer League The New Zealand National League is the name given to the current New Zealand top football competition. Originally set up as the New Zealand National Soccer League there has been many versions of the competition as well as many different names. Th ...

won by,

Wellington Diamond United Wellington United AFC is an association football club based in Wellington, New Zealand, that competes in the Central League. History Wellington Diamond United Wellington Diamond United was the result of the merger of Diamond and Zealandia/Well ...

* The

Chatham Cup The Chatham Cup is New Zealand's premier knockout tournament in men's association football. It is held annually, with the final contested in September. The current champions of the Chatham Cup are 2022 winners Auckland City, who defeated Eastern ...

is won by Dunedin City who beat Mount Wellington 3–1 in the final.

Births

* 5 January:

Corey Flynn Corey Robert Flynn (born 5 January 1981) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays for West Coast in the Heartland Championship. He plays in the position of hooker. Career Club career Flynn previously played provincial for Sou ...

, rugby player. * 10 January:

Hayden Roulston Hayden Roulston (born 10 January 1981, in Ashburton) is a former New Zealand professional racing cyclist. He won the silver medal in the men's 4000 m individual pursuit and a bronze medal in the men's 4000 m team pursuit at the 2008 Summer O ...

, professional cyclist. * 21 January: Jason Williams, rugby player. * 27 January: Tony Woodcock, rugby player. * 29 January: Jake Adams, musician. * 12 February:

Daniel Braid Daniel John Braid (born 23 February 1981) is a former rugby union player from New Zealand who captained Sale Sharks in the English Premiership. He played at open-side flanker. Previously, he played for the Blues in Super Rugby. He also won si ...

, rugby player. * 21 February: Tainui Tukiwaho, Actor. * 6 March:

Tim Brown Timothy, Timmy, or Tim Brown may refer to: Music * Timothy Brown (bassist) (born 1969), bassist for the band The Boo Radleys * Timothy Brown (conductor) (born 1946), English choral conductor * Timothy Brown (hornist), English hornist Sports Gridir ...

, soccer player. * 20 March: Jamaal Lolesi, rugby league player. * 25 March:

Mose Tuiali'i Moses Moses Tuiali'i (born 25 March 1981) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. A Loose forward, Tuiali'i notably played for the Crusaders in Super Rugby between 2004 and 2008. He also played for the Blues in 2003 and later the Highland ...

, rugby player. * 27 March:

Sione Faumuina Sione Faumuina (born 27 March 1981) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Redcliffe Dolphins in the Queensland Cup. He joined the Castleford Tigers ( Heritage № 893) in the Super League at the start of the ...

, rugby league player. * 30 April:

Ali Williams Alexander James "Ali" Williams (born 30 April 1981) is a New Zealand rugby union player who played at lock, spending almost all of his playing career in his homeland. At provincial level, he played mainly with Auckland, though he spent one seaso ...

, rugby player. * 4 May: Kate Elliott, actor. * 6 May:

Jodi Te Huna Jodi Anne Brown (née Te Huna; born 6 May 1981 in Whanganui, New Zealand) is a retired New Zealand netball player. Brown was a member of the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns from 2002 to 2015, taking time off in between those ...

, netball player. * 10 May: Lloyd Stephenson, field hockey player. * 19 May:

Jamie How Jamie Michael How (born 19 May 1981) is a former cricketer who has played Test match, One Day International and Twenty20 International cricket for New Zealand. He attended Palmerston North Boys' High School. In New Zealand domestic cricket, he p ...

, cricketer. * 25 May: Shelley Paikea, singer. * 25 May:

Matt Utai Matthew Utai (born 25 May 1981) is a former professional rugby league footballer who last played as a er for the Auburn Warriors in the Ron Massey Cup. A New Zealand and Samoa international representative, he previously played for the Wests Tig ...

, rugby league player. * 25 May:

Motu Tony Motu Iosefo Tony (born 29 May 1981) is a former New Zealand international rugby league footballer who played as a in the 2000s and 2010s. He previously played in the NRL for the New Zealand Warriors and the Brisbane Broncos before playing in t ...

, rugby league player. * 2 June:

Brad Mika Bradley Moni Mika (born 2 June 1981) is a New Zealand rugby union player. His position is lock. He was educated at St Peter's College. He made his provincial debut for Auckland in 2000, his Super Rugby debut for Crusaders in 2002, and his inter ...

, rugby player. * 9 June: Dean Couzins, field hockey player. * 19 June: Moss Burmester, swimmer. * 28 June: Demetrius "Savage" Savelio, rapper. * 3 July:

Tevita Latu Tevita Leo-Latu (born 3 July 1981) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Point Chevalier Pirates. He previously played for the New Zealand Warriors and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the NRL and the Wakefield Tri ...

, rugby league player. * 31 July:

Paul Whatuira Paul Whatuira (pronounced , born 31 July 1981) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL in 2011. A New Zealand international , he won National Rugby League premierships with ...

, rugby league player. * 31 July:

Scott Talbot Scott Thomas Talbot, also Talbot-Cameron (born 13 July 1981) is an Australian-born swimmer and swimming coach who represented New Zealand in swimming from 1997 to 2006 and has worked as a coach in several countries. Biography Talbot is the son ...

, swimmer and swimming coach. * 3 August: Daniel Koprivcic, soccer player. * 6 September: Te Atirau Paki, television presenter. * 22 September: James Stosic, rugby player. * Brendon McCullum ONZM (cropped)

27 September:

Brendon McCullum Brendon Barrie McCullum (born 27 September 1981) is a cricket coach, commentator and former cricketer representing New Zealand, who played all formats, including as captain. McCullum was renowned for his quick scoring, notably recording the f ...

, cricketer. * 29 September (in Germany):

Shane Smeltz Shane Edward Smeltz (born 29 September 1981) is a New Zealand Australian footballer. He plays as a striker for Guiseley AFC in the Northern Premier League, the 7th tier of English football. Smeltz had spent much of his early career playing i ...

, soccer player. * 29 October:

Dwayne Cameron Dwayne Cameron (born 28 October 1981) is a New Zealand actor, writer, director and producer. Cameron is best known internationally for playing the lead roles of Bray on the teen drama series '' The Tribe'' and Tyzonn in ''Power Rangers Operat ...

, actor * 29 October (in Sydney): Jamie Waugh, writer. * 24 November: Ian Butler, cricketer. * 10 December:

Caleb Ross Caleb Ross (born 10 December 1981) is a New Zealand film and television actor best known for his role as Lex in the cult science fiction television series '' The Tribe''. In 1998, he played Logan Patterson on ''Shortland Street''. Throughout th ...

, actor. * 10 December:

Conrad Smith Conrad Gerard Smith (born 12 October 1981) is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player, who played predominantly at centre. He captained the Hurricanes in Super Rugby, and played for New Zealand from 2004 until 2015. He was a key mem ...

, rugby player. * 20 December:

Leo Bertos Leonida Christos Bertos (born 20 December 1981) is a New Zealand professional footballer who last played as a midfielder for Hamilton Olympic in the National Premier Leagues. Leo Bertos is currently the head coach of Northern NSW NPL side West ...

, soccer player. :1981 births

Deaths

* 29 January: J. A. W. Bennett, literary scholar. * 23 March:

Beatrice Tinsley Beatrice Muriel Hill Tinsley (27 January 1941 – 23 March 1981) was a British-born New Zealand astronomer and cosmologist and professor of astronomy at Yale University, whose research made fundamental contributions to the astronomical understa ...

, astronomer. * 21 December:

Iriaka Rātana Iriaka Matiu Rātana (née Te Rio; 25 February 1905 – 21 December 1981) was a New Zealand politician and Rātana morehu who won the Western Maori electorate for Labour in 1949. She succeeded her husband Matiu Rātana to become the first wo ...

, politician. *

Keith Murray Keith Omar Murray (born May 29, 1974) is an American rapper from New York. Murray grew up on Carleton Ave, in Central Islip, which is located on the South Shore of Long Island in Suffolk County. Murray was a known member of a local rap collec ...

, architect and ceramic designer.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1981 in New Zealand

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Years of the 20th century in New Zealand

Population

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Government

Parliamentary opposition

Main centre leaders

Events

Arts and literature

Music

New Zealand Music Awards The Aotearoa Music Awards (previously called the New Zealand Music Awards), conferred annually by Recorded Music NZ, honour outstanding artistic and technical achievements in the recording industry. The awards are among the most significant that ...

Performing arts

Radio and television

Film

Sport

Athletics

Chess

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Harness racing

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References