The following lists events that happened during 2021 in New Zealand.

Incumbents

Regal and vice-regal

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 –

Patsy Reddy Dame Patricia Lee Reddy (born 17 May 1954) is a New Zealand lawyer and businesswoman who served as the 21st governor-general of New Zealand from 2016 to 2021. Before becoming governor-general, Reddy was a partner of a law firm, headed a majo ...

until 28 September, and then

Cindy Kiro Dame Alcyion Cynthia Kiro (; Simpson; born 1958) is a New Zealand public health academic, administrator, and advocate, who has served as the 22nd governor-general of New Zealand since 21 October 2021. Kiro is the first Māori woman, the third ...

from 21 October File:Elizabeth II 2021.jpg, Elizabeth II File:Patsy Reddy - May 2021 (cropped).jpg, Patsy Reddy File:Cindy Kiro 2021 (cropped).jpg, Cindy Kiro

Government

Legislature term:

53rd New Zealand Parliament The 53rd New Zealand Parliament is the current session of Parliament in New Zealand. It opened on 25 November 2020 following the 17 October 2020 general election, and will expire on or before 20 November 2023 to trigger the next election. It ...

The Sixth Labour Government, elected in

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...

, continues. *

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 ...

–

Trevor Mallard Trevor Colin Mallard (born 17 June 1954) is a New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party. First elected to Parliament in 1984, he was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2017 until 2022. Mallard was a Cabinet m ...

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 i ...

–

Jacinda Ardern Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern ( ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician who has been serving as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party since 2017. A member of the Labour Party, she has been the member of ...

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 ...

–

Grant Robertson Grant Murray Robertson (born 30 October 1971) is a New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party who has served as the 19th deputy prime minister of New Zealand since 2020 and the minister of Finance since 2017. He has served as Member ...

* Leader of the House –

Chris Hipkins Christopher John Hipkins (born 5 September 1978) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician and a member of the Sixth Labour Government's Cabinet as Minister of Education, Minister of Police, Minister for the Public Service and Leader of the ...

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", " ...

– Grant Robertson *

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 co ...

–

Nanaia Mahuta Nanaia Cybele Mahuta (born 21 August 1970) is a New Zealand politician who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hauraki-Waikato and serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Sixth Labour Government since 2020. She is also the Minister o ...

File:Trevor Mallard 2021 (cropped).jpg, Trevor Mallard File:Jacinda Ardern crop.jpg, Jacinda Ardern File:Hon Grant Robertson (cropped).jpg, Grant Robertson File:Chris Hipkins 2019 (cropped).jpg, Chris Hipkins File:Hon Nanaia Mahuta.jpg, Nanaia Mahuta

Other party leaders in parliament

National National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

–

Judith Collins Judith Anne Collins (born 24 February 1959) is a New Zealand politician who served as the Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the New Zealand National Party from 14 July 2020 to 25 November 2021. She was the second female Leader of the Natio ...

until 25 November, then

Christopher Luxon Christopher Mark Luxon (born 19 July 1970) is a New Zealand politician and former business executive who is currently serving as leader of the New Zealand National Party and the Leader of the Opposition. He has been the Member of Parliament (M ...

from 30 November ( leader of the Opposition) *

Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a combi ...

– James Shaw and

Marama Davidson Marama Mere-Ana Davidson (née Paratene; born 1973) is a New Zealand politician who entered the New Zealand Parliament in 2015 as a representative of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, of which she is the female co-leader. In October 2 ...

* ACT – David Seymour *

Māori Party Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

–

Rawiri Waititi Rawiri Wikuki Waititi (born ) is a New Zealand politician, iwi leader, Ringatū minister, and kapa haka exponent. He is a co-leader of Te Pāti Māori alongside Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for since 20 ...

and

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer Debbie Anne Ngarewa-Packer is a New Zealand politician, iwi leader and activist. She is a Member of Parliament and co-leader of Te Pāti Māori alongside Rawiri Waititi, and is the leader and chief executive of the Ngāti Ruanui iwi. She stood ...

File:The Honourable Judith Collins MP.jpg, Judith Collins File:Christopher Luxon (crop).jpg, Christopher Luxon File:James Shaw, 2014 (cropped).jpg, James Shaw File:Marama Davidson 2019 (cropped).jpg, Marama Davidson File:David Seymour (cropped).jpg, David Seymour

Judiciary

* Chief Justice –

Helen Winkelmann Dame Helen Diana Winkelmann (born 1962) is the 13th and current Chief Justice of New Zealand, having been sworn in on 14 March 2019. She is the second woman to hold the position, following her immediate predecessor, Sian Elias. Early life and ...

File:Helen Winkelmann 2021 (cropped).jpg, Helen Winkelmann

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 amal ...

–

Phil Goff Philip Bruce Goff (born 22 June 1953) is a New Zealand politician. He was a member of the New Zealand Parliament from 1981 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 2016. He served as leader of the Labour Party and leader of the Opposition between 11 N ...

Mayor of Tauranga The Mayor of Tauranga is the head of the municipal government of Tauranga, New Zealand, and presides over the Tauranga City Council. There is currently no Mayor of Tauranga. On 9 February 2021, a Crown Commission appointed by the Minister of L ...

– Tina Salisbury (acting), then

Anne Tolley Anne Merrilyn Tolley (née Hicks, born 1 March 1953) is a New Zealand politician and former member of the New Zealand House of Representatives representing the National Party. She was New Zealand's first female Minister of Education from 200 ...

(as chair of commissioners) from 9 February * Mayor of Hamilton – Paula Southgate *

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 representat ...

–

Andy Foster Andrew John Whitfield Foster (born 21 December 1961) is a New Zealand politician who served as Mayor of Wellington from 2019 to 2022. Foster served on the Wellington City Council for nine terms from 1992 until 2019. Biography Early life Foste ...

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, Ph ...

–

Lianne Dalziel Lianne Audrey Dalziel (; born 7 June 1960) is a New Zealand politician and former Mayor of Christchurch. Prior to this position, she was a member of the New Zealand Parliament for 23 years, serving as Minister of Immigration, Commerce, Minister ...

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 ...

– Aaron Hawkins Phil Goff CNZM (cropped).jpg, Phil Goff Anne Tolley 2019 (cropped).jpg, Anne Tolley Paula Southgate in 2015.jpg, Paula Southgate Foster2.png, Andy Foster Lianne Dalziel September 2017.jpg, Lianne Dalziell Aaron-hawkins.jpg, Aaron Hawkins

Events

January

* 29 December 2020 to 3 January – Riots between inmates and prison guards at Waikeria Prison, causing major fire damage to the complex. * 1 January – A bomb threat closes Gisborne Airport, causing evacuations and delayed flights.

February

* 2 February – Lead is found in water of two Otago towns,

Waikouaiti Waikouaiti is a small town in East Otago, New Zealand, within the city limits of Dunedin. The town is close to the coast and the mouth of the Waikouaiti River. Today, Waikouaiti is a retail trade and servicing centre for the surrounding distric ...

and Karitāne. * 9 February –

co-leader and Member of Parliament

is not allowed to speak because he was wearing a traditional pendant rather than a tie. * 15 February – ''COVID-19 in New Zealand:''

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

moves to Alert Level 3, while the rest of New Zealand moves to Alert Level 2. * 17 February – ''COVID-19 in New Zealand:'' Auckland moves to Alert Level 2 from midnight while the rest of New Zealand reverts to Alert Level 1 from midnight. * 21 February – ''COVID-19 in New Zealand:'' Auckland moves to Alert Level 1 at midnight. * 27 February – ''COVID-19 in New Zealand:'' Auckland moves back into an Alert Level 3 lockdown for the next seven days while the rest of New Zealand moves back to an Alert Level 2.

March

* 5 March ** A tsunami warning is issued following a 7.1M at 2.27am near East Cape and Gisborne. ** A 7.4M at 6.40am hits the Kermadec Islands. ** A tsunami threat and warning is issued for New Zealand after a 8.1M earthquake in the Kermadec Islands. The Beehive Bunker has been activated. Tsunami land threat was dropped at 1.20pm by GNS to a beach and marine threat. The national tsunami advisory was later dropped at 3.43pm. ** ''COVID-19 in New Zealand:''

announces that Auckland will move to Alert Level 2 lockdown from Alert Level 3, with the rest of New Zealand moving down to Alert Level 1, at 6am, on 7 March. The Ardern ministry will review the alert level of Auckland at the start of the weekend following the alert downgrade. * 7 March – ''COVID-19 in New Zealand:'' Auckland moves to Alert Level 2, with the rest of New Zealand moving to Alert Level 1. * 12 March – ''COVID-19 in New Zealand:'' Auckland moves to Alert Level 1 at midday.

April

* 19 April – ''COVID-19 in New Zealand:'' Quarantine-free travel with Australia begins. * April – New Zealand's longest running television advertisement of Auckland Glass stops. It first aired in 1996.

May

* 10 May – Four people are injured during a stabbing attack at a Countdown supermarket in central Dunedin * 17 May – ''COVID-19 in New Zealand:'' Quarantine-free travel with the

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...

begins. * 20 May – The 2021 Budget is delivered. * 24 May –

Dame Cindy Kiro Dame Alcyion Cynthia Kiro (; Simpson; born 1958) is a New Zealand public health academic, administrator, and advocate, who has served as the 22nd governor-general of New Zealand since 21 October 2021. Kiro is the first Māori woman, the thir ...

is announced as the next Governor-General. * 30 May – A state of emergency is announced in Ashburton, Selwyn and

Timaru district Timaru District is a local government district on New Zealand's South Island, administered by the Timaru District Council. It is part of the larger Canterbury Region. Geography The Timaru District is located on the east coast of the South Island ...

s as

torrential rain Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water fo ...

hits the Canterbury region.

June

* 7 June – The 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours are announced. * 19 June – A tornado hit the southern Auckland suburb of

Papatoetoe Papatoetoe is a suburb in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest suburb in Auckland by population and is located to the northwest of Manukau Central, and 18 kilometres southeast of Auckland CBD. Papatoetoe has the unofficial title of Auckland ...

, killing one man and injuring two others. * 22 June – ''COVID-19 in New Zealand:'' New Zealand pauses the travel bubble with

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

as cases of COVID-19 surge in Sydney. * 23 June – ''COVID-19 in New Zealand:'' The

Wellington Region Greater Wellington, also known as the Wellington Region (Māori: ''Te Upoko o te Ika''), is a non-unitary region of New Zealand that occupies the southernmost part of the North Island. The region covers an area of , and has a population of T ...

moves to Alert Level 2, following a positive case of the

delta variant The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It was first detected in India in late 2020. The Delta variant was named on 31 May 2021 and had spread to over 179 countries by 22 November 2021. The ...

who flew to Wellington from Sydney. No outbreak occurred.

July

* 2 July – The government releases the dates of the Matariki public holiday for the next thirty years. * 23 July – New Zealand athletes begin competing at the

2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...

August

* 8 August – New Zealand athletes finish competing at the 2020 Summer Olympics. * 17 August – ''COVID-19 in New Zealand: ''New Zealand enters Alert Level 4, following a positive case of the

Delta Variant The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It was first detected in India in late 2020. The Delta variant was named on 31 May 2021 and had spread to over 179 countries by 22 November 2021. The ...

of COVID-19 in Auckland. * 24 August to 5 September 2021 – Athletes compete at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.

September

* 1 September – ''COVID-19 in New Zealand: ''New Zealand except for Auckland and Northland moved to Alert Level 3.'' * 3 September – Seven people are injured during a stabbing attack at a Countdown supermarket in

LynnMall LynnMall is a shopping centre in New Lynn, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealand's first shopping centre, LynnMall, has been servicing Auckland's western suburbs for over 50 years. Since opening in 1963, the centre has continued to evol ...

, West Auckland. The attacker was shot and killed by police. * 14 September – The

( mi, Te Pāti Māori) launch a petition to rename the official name of the nation to Aotearoa and restore

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

placenames by

2026 Predicted and scheduled events * January 1 ** In the United States, books, films, and other works published in 1930 will enter the public domain, assuming there are no changes made to copyright law. ** '' Soup to Nuts'', the first on-scre ...

. * 16 September – Three daughters are murdered by their mother, Lauren Dickason. * September – The average New Zealand house price passes $1 million for the first time.

October

* 21 October ** Dame Cindy Kiro is sworn in as the 22nd Governor-General of New Zealand. ** Prime Minister Ardern announces an agreement on a New Zealand–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement, promising zero-tariffs and a $970m economic boost.

November

* 25 November –

loses a confidence vote as leader of the National Party after her handling over a historic allegation regarding Simon Bridges.

Shane Reti Shane Raymond Reti (born 5 June 1963) is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives, first elected at the 2014 general election. He is a member of the New Zealand National Party and served as its deputy ...

becomes interim leader. * 30 November –

elected Elected may refer to: * "Elected" (song), by Alice Cooper, 1973 * ''Elected'' (EP), by Ayreon, 2008 *The Elected, an American indie rock band See also *Election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population ...

leader of the National Party.

December

* 2 December - ''COVID-19 in New Zealand:'' The alert level system is dropped in favour of the new traffic light system at 11:59 pm. Northland, Auckland, Taupō, Rotorua, Kawerau, Whakatane, Ōpōtiki, Gisborne, Wairoa, Whanganui and Ruapehu regions initially moved to 'Red' while the rest of the country was moved into 'Orange.' * 16 December – The 2021 New Zealand bravery awards are announced. * 31 December – The

2022 New Year Honours The 2022 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebrations ...

are announced.

Holidays and observances

Public holidays in New Zealand in 2021 are as follows:

* 1 January – New Year's Day * 2 January – Day after New Year's Day * 4 January – Day after New Year's Day observed * 6 February –

Waitangi Day Waitangi Day ( mi, Te Rā o Waitangi), the national day of New Zealand, marks the anniversary of the initial signing – on 6 February 1840 – of the Treaty of Waitangi, which is regarded as the founding document of the nation. The first Wai ...

* 8 February – Waitangi Day observed * 2 April – Good Friday * 5 April – Easter Monday * 25 April – Anzac Day * 26 April – Anzac Day observed * 7 June –

Queen's Birthday The King's Official Birthday (alternatively the Queen's Official Birthday when the monarch is female) is the selected day in the United Kingdom and most Commonwealth realms on which the birthday of the monarch is officially celebrated in those ...

* 25 October – Labour Day * 25 December –

Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

* 26 December – Boxing Day * 27 December – Christmas Day observed * 28 December – Boxing Day observed

Sports

Horse racing

Harness racing

Auckland Cup The Auckland Cup is an annual race held by the Auckland Racing Club (ARC). It is an Open Handicap for thoroughbred racehorses competed on the flat turf over 3200 metres (two miles) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. The race was ...

– cancelled due to COVID-19 *

New Zealand Cup The New Zealand Cup is a thoroughbred horse race run at the Riccarton Park Racecourse in Christchurch. New Zealand Cup week The New Zealand Cup is raced on the final Saturday of Christchurch "Cup week" held each year in the second week of Novem ...

– Copy That *

Rowe Cup The Rowe Cup is a race held annually at Alexandra Park, Auckland, New Zealand for standardbred horses. The Rowe Cup is run over a distance of 3200 m. Along with the Dominion Handicap raced at Addington Raceway it is one of the major harness ...

– Sundees Son

Thoroughbred racing

– Ocean Billy *

– Mondorani * Wellington Cup – Waisake

Olympics

* New Zealand sends a team of 225 competitors across 21 sports. :

Paralympics

Rowing

* New Zealand Secondary School Championships (Maadi Cup) ** Maadi Cup (boys' U18 eight) – Christ's College ** Levin Jubilee Cup (girls' U18 eight) –

Rangi Ruru Girls' School Rangi Ruru Girls' School is a New Zealand private girls' day and boarding secondary school located in Merivale, an inner suburb of Christchurch. The school is affiliated to the Presbyterian Church, and serves approximately girls from Years ...

** Star Trophy (overall points) –

Shooting

* Ballinger Belt –

Mike Collings Mike Collings (born 29 September 1954) is a sport shooter from New Zealand. At the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester he was 21st in the full bore rifle open singles and seventh in the full bore rifle open pairs. At the 2010 Commonwealth G ...

(Te Puke)

Deaths

January

* 6 January –

Alan Burgess Alan Burgess (1 February 1915 – 10 April 1998) was an English Royal Air Force pilot and author who wrote several biographical and non-fiction books between the 1950s and the 1970s. He wrote biographies of Gladys Aylward, and Flora Sandes, and ...

, cricketer (

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...

), world's oldest living first-class cricketer (since 2020) (born 1920). * 8 January – Stewart McKnight, cricketer ( Otago) and curler (born 1935). * 12 January – John Ward, cricketer (

national team A national sports team (commonly known as a national team or a national side) is a team that represents a nation, rather than a particular club or region, in an international sport. The term is most commonly associated with team sports, for exa ...

) (born 1937). * 17 January – Tom Prebble, educationalist and university administrator ( Massey University) (born 1945). * 18 January –

Ash Gardiner Ashley John Gardiner (10 December 1946 – 18 January 2021) was a New Zealand rugby union player. A prop, Gardiner represented Taranaki at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, in 1974 on the to ...

, rugby union player (

Taranaki Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont. The main centre is the city of New Plymouth. The New Plymouth D ...

) (born 1946). * 20 January ** Doug Bowden, cricketer (

Central Districts The Central Stags, formerly known as Central Districts, are a first-class cricket team based in central New Zealand. They are the men's representative side of the Central Districts Cricket Association. They compete in the Plunket Shield firs ...

) (born 1927). ** Bill Sheat, lawyer and arts advocate (born 1930). * 26 January ** Ben Te Haara, Māori Anglican priest, Bishop of Te Tai Tokerau (1992–2001) ((born 1932). **

Peter Thorburn Peter Robert Tyler Thorburn (19 March 1939 – 26 January 2021) was a New Zealand rugby union player and coach. He played his entire career as a number eight for from 1965 to 1970. He became a coach after his playing career ended, coachin ...

, rugby union player (

) and coach ( North Harbour, national sevens team, United States national team) (born 1939). ** Peter Vere-Jones, actor (''

Pukemanu ''Pukemanu'' was a New Zealand television series that ran from 1971 to 1972. Background The series, set in a fictional location, was considered to break ground in the way it approached the subject and examined the town that it was set in. It was ...

'', ''

Shortland Street ''Shortland Street'' is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera centring on the fictitious Shortland Street Hospital, first broadcast on TVNZ 2 on 25 May 1992. It is New Zealand's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously ...

'', '' The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug'') (born 1939). * 30 January – Bill Hammond, artist (born 1947). File:Tom Prebble 1993 (cropped).jpg, Tom Prebble File:Bill Sheat New Zealand Film Commission 40th Anniversary (1).jpg, Bill Sheat File:Peter Thorburn MNZM (cropped).jpg, Peter Thorburn

February

* 3 February – Peter Nicholls, sculptor ( ''Toroa'') (born 1936). * 4 February – Solomon Faine, microbiologist (

Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university h ...

) (born 1926). * 6 February – Bruce Taylor, cricketer (

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...

) (born 1943). * 22 February – Peter Rattray, cricketer (

) (born 1958). File:Peter Nicholls Portrait March 2019.jpg, Peter Nicholls File:Bruce Richard Taylor 1967.jpg, Bruce Taylor

March

* 3 March –

Jonathan Temm Jonathan Paul Temm (16 June 1962 – 3 March 2021) was a New Zealand barrister. He served as president of the New Zealand Law Society from 2010 until 2013. Personal Temm was born in Auckland. He was educated at St Peter's College. Temm has s ...

, lawyer, president of the New Zealand Law Society (2010–2013),

Queen's Counsel In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister o ...

(since 2019) (born 1962). * 5 March – Francis Small, civil engineer and scouting leader, managing director of New Zealand Rail / Tranz Rail (1972–2000), president of

IPENZ Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau (ENZ; previously the New Zealand Institution of Engineers – NZIE and then Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand – IPENZ) is a not-for-profit professional body that promotes the integrity a ...

(1996–1997),

Bronze Wolf Award The Bronze Wolf Award is bestowed by the World Scout Committee (WSC) to acknowledge "outstanding service by an individual to the World Scout Movement". It is the highest honor that can be given a volunteer Scout leader in the world and it is the ...

(1999) (born 1946). * 12 March – Avenal McKinnon, art historian and writer, director of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery (2005–2014) (born 1949). * 15 March – Miriama Rauhihi Ness, Māori activist ( Ngā Tamatoa,

Polynesian Panthers The Polynesian Panther Party (PPP) was a revolutionary social justice movement formed to target racial inequalities carried out against indigenous Māori and Pacific Islanders in Auckland, New Zealand. Founded by a group of young Polynesians on 16 ...

) and social worker (born 1951). * 18 March –

David Braithwaite David Joseph Braithwaite (16 April 1937 – 18 March 2021) was a New Zealand politician. He was mayor of Hamilton from 2001 to 2004. Braithwaite was born in Hamilton on 16 April 1937. Both of his parents were prominent in civic life in Hamilt ...

, property developer and local politician, Mayor of Hamilton (2001–2004) (born 1937). File:Avenal McKinnon (cropped).jpg, Avenal McKinnon

April

* 3 April – John Edgar, sculptor and medallist (born 1950). * 8 April –

John da Silva John Walter da Silva (11 June 1934 – 8 April 2021) was a New Zealand wrestler and boxer. Biography Da Silva was born on 11 June 1934. He represented New Zealand in wrestling at the 1956 Olympics and at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwe ...

, Olympic (

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim Elliot and Pete Fleming, ar ...

) and British Empire and Commonwealth Games (

1958 Events January * January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being. * January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed. * January 4 ** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third ...

) wrestler, boxer and youth worker (born 1934). * 15 April –

Leon van den Eijkel Leon van den Eijkel (15 October 1940 – 15 April 2021) was a Dutch-born New Zealand artist who studied at The Hague's Royal Academy of Art from 1958 to 1963, and emigrated to New Zealand in 1986. Van den Eijkel exhibited widely in Europe, the Un ...

, artist (born 1940). * 17 April – John Ogilvie, cricketer (

) (born 1931). * 18 April **

Mary Earle Mary Davidson Earle ( Cameron; 20 October 1929 – 18 April 2021) was a Scottish-born New Zealand food technologist. She was the first female faculty member of a university engineering department in New Zealand when she joined Massey Univers ...

, food technologist ( Massey University) (born 1929). ** Iain Gallaway, cricketer ( Otago), rugby union referee, lawyer and sports commentator, president of

New Zealand Cricket New Zealand Cricket, formerly the New Zealand Cricket Council, is the governing body for professional cricket in New Zealand. Cricket is the most popular and highest profile summer sport in New Zealand. New Zealand Cricket operates the New Z ...

(1997–2000), chair of the

Broadcasting Standards Authority The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA; mi, Te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho) is a New Zealand Crown entity created by the Broadcasting Act 1989 to develop and uphold standards of broadcasting for radio, free-to-air and pay television. The main ...

(1989–1995) (born 1922). * 19 April – Mike Dormer, cricketer (

) (born 1937). * 27 April –

Dave Cull David Charles Cull (1 April 1950 – 27 April 2021) was the mayor of the city of Dunedin in New Zealand. He became the 57th Mayor of Dunedin in October 2010 and was re-elected in both the 2013 mayoralty race and 2016 mayoral election. Before ...

, television presenter ( ''Home Front''), writer, and local politician,

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 ...

(2010–2019) (born 1950). File:Mary Earle 1992 (cropped).jpg, Mary Earle File:Dave Cull-Blueskin News.jpg, Dave Cull

May

* 3 May – Steve McKean, basketball coach (

) (born ). * 4 May – Margaret Forsyth, world champion netball player (

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the '' International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the '' Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the so ...

1987 File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, ...

), netball coach (

Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic are a New Zealand netball team based in Hamilton. Between 1999 and 2007, they played in the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league. Between 2008 and 2016, they played in the ANZ Championship. Since 2017, Magic have ...

) and local politician, Hamilton city councillor (2010–2016, since 2019) (born 1961). * 8 May ** George Skudder, rugby union player (

Waikato Waikato () is a 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 City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsul ...

, New Zealand Māori,

) (born 1948). **

Rana Waitai Rana Donald Waitai (26 November 1942 – 8 May 2021) was a New Zealand politician and lawyer. He was a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives representing Te Puku o Te Whenua, for the New Zealand First Party and Mauri Pacific P ...

, politician, MP for

Te Puku O Te Whenua Te Puku O Te Whenua or "the belly of the land" was one of the five new New Zealand parliamentary Māori electorates created in 1996 for MMP. It was replaced in the 1999 election. Population centres The electorate included the following populati ...

(1996–1999) (born 1942). * 10 May – Jenny King, librarian (

University of Waikato , mottoeng = For The People , established = 1964; years ago , endowment = (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $263.6 million (31 December 2020) , chancellor = Sir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO, KStJ , vice_chancellor = Neil Quigley , cit ...

) (born 1929). * 14 May –

David McPhail David Alexander McPhail (11 April 1945 – 14 May 2021) was a New Zealand comedic actor and writer whose television career spanned four decades. McPhail first won fame on sketch comedy show ''A Week of It'', partly thanks to his impressions of ...

, comedian (''

A Week of It ''A Week of It'' is a New Zealand television series screened from 1977 to 1979. A comedy sketch show, the series relied heavily on political satire, and as such was often written very shortly before it screened. Although it only ran for three yea ...

''), actor ('' Letter to Blanchy'', ''

Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby ''Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby'' is a satirical New Zealand television series, created and written by Danny Mulheron (who also directs and co-produces), Dave Armstrong, and Tom Scott. It stars David McPhail as the titular Mr Gormsby, whose po ...

'') and writer ('' Letter to Blanchy'') (born 1945). * 15 May – Emily Mair, opera singer, pianist, and vocal coach (

Victoria University of Wellington Victoria University of Wellington ( mi, Te Herenga Waka) is a university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. The university is well kno ...

) (born 1928). * 17 May ** Nan Kinross, nurse and nursing academic ( Massey University) (born 1926). ** Janet Shackleton, hurdler, British Empire Games bronze medallist (

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 crashes in a snowstorm. All 19 ...

) (born 1928). * 21 May –

Merv Norrish Merwyn "Merv" Norrish (28 October 1926 – 21 May 2021) was a New Zealand diplomat who served as New Zealand's ambassador to the European Community, acting high commissioner to London, ambassador to the United States, and secretary of Foreign ...

, diplomat and public servant,

ambassador to the United States The following table lists ambassadors to the United States, sorted by the representative country or organization. See also *Ambassadors of the United States Notes {{reflist, 30em External linksCurrent and former Ambassadors to the United Sta ...

(1978–1980),

secretary of foreign affairs In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entit ...

(1980–1988) (born 1926). * 23 May –

Ross Taylor Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote Taylor (born 8 March 1984) is a former international cricketer and former captain of the New Zealand national team. Batting predominantly at number four, when he announced his retirement from international cricket at ...

, geochemist and planetary scientist (

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public research university located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition to several national academies an ...

) (born 1925). File:Steve McKean MNZM (cropped).jpg, Steve McKean File:Margaret Forsyth ONZM (cropped).jpg, Margaret Forsyth File:Rana Waitai.jpg, Rana Waitai File:David McPhail.jpg, David McPhail File:Nan Kinross 1988.jpg, Nan Kinross File:Janet Shackleton 1950.jpg, Janet Shackleton File:Merv Norrish, 2011.jpg, Merv Norrish

June

* 1 June – Ian Shearer, politician, MP for Hamilton East (1975–1984), Minister for the Environment (1981–1984), Minister of Science and Technology (1981–1984), Minister of Broadcasting (1981–1984) (born 1941). * 2 June ** Vonnie Cave, photographer, camellia grower and gardening writer (born 1928). ** Les Rackley, boxing trainer ( Jeff Rackley, Les Rackley) (born 1929). * 4 June – Tilly Hirst, world champion netball player (

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 5 ** Spain and Romania sign an agreement in Paris, establishing full consular and ...

) (born 1941). * 7 June –

Richard Nunns Richard Anthony Nunns (7 December 1945 – 7 June 2021) was a Māori traditional instrumentalist of Pākehā heritage. He was particularly known for playing taonga pūoro and his collaboration with fellow Māori instrumentalist Hirini Melbourn ...

, Hall of Fame traditional Māori instrumental musician (born 1945). * 9 June – Steve Mrkusic, architect (born 1928). * 11 June ** Dame Georgina Kirby, Māori leader and women's advocate, president of the Māori Women's Welfare League (1983–1987) (born 1936). **

Ron Sang Ronald Fong Sang (11 July 1938 – 11 June 2021) was a New Zealand architect, art collector, art exhibitor and publisher of New Zealand art books. Early life Sang was born in Fiji in 1938 to parents who had migrated from southern China. He rece ...

, architect ( Brian Brake House), art collector (born 1938). * 12 June –

Robert Edgcumbe, 8th Earl of Mount Edgcumbe Robert Charles Edgcumbe, 8th Earl of Mount Edgcumbe (1 June 1939 – 12 June 2021) was a New Zealand-British peer. Edgcumbe was the son of Meta Lhoyer and George Aubrey Valletort Edgcumbe. He was educated at Nelson College from 1951 to 1955. H ...

, peer (born 1939). * 14 June ** Sir Eion Edgar, Hall of Fame businessman and philanthropist (

Edgar Centre The Edgar Centre is a large multi-purpose indoor sports venue in South Dunedin, New Zealand, on the shore of Otago Harbour close to Andersons Bay Inlet. It is the home venue of the Otago Nuggets basketball team, and an alternate venue for the ...

), chancellor of the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate ...

(1999–2003), Senior New Zealander of the Year (2010) (born 1945). ** Sir Ian Hassall, paediatrician and children's advocate, Children's Commissioner (1989–1994) (born 1941). * 16 June –

John Osmers John Robert Osmers (23 February 1935 – 16 June 2021) was a New Zealand anti-apartheid activist. He was Anglican Bishop of Eastern Zambia from 1995 to 2002. Early life and education Osmers was born in Ashburton on 23 February 1935, the son of ...

, Anglican priest and anti-apartheid activist, Bishop of Eastern Zambia (1995–2002) (born 1935). * 17 June – Fane Flaws, musician ( Blerta, The Spats,

The Crocodiles The Crocodiles was a New Zealand pop/ new wave band formed in 1979 with lead singer Jenny Morris, who went on to commercial success as a solo artist in Australia; and later included drummer Barton Price, who subsequently joined Sardine v and t ...

), songwriter and artist (born 1951). * 19 June –

Colin Loader Colin James Loader (10 March 1931 – 19 June 2021) was a New Zealand rugby union player who represented the All Blacks between 1953 and 1954. Born in Dannevirke in 1931, Loader was educated at Hutt Valley High School, where he was a member of ...

, rugby union player (

) (born 1931). * 24 June – Tom Flaws, cricketer ( Otago) (born 1932). * 25 June – John Sigley, cricketer (

) (born 1931). File:Tilly Vercoe 1965 (cropped).jpg, Tilly Hirst File:Richard Nunns, 2011.jpg, Richard Nuns File:Georgina Kirby (cropped).jpg, Dame Georgina Kirby File:Eion Edgar (cropped).jpg, Sir Eion Edgar File:Ian Hassall KNZM (cropped).jpg, Sir Ian Hassall File:Colin Loader 1953.jpg, Colin Loader

July

* 5 July –

Vivienne Cassie Cooper Una Vivienne Cassie Cooper (née Dellow; 29 September 1926 – 5 July 2021) was a New Zealand planktologist and botanist. Early life Cassie Cooper was born on 29 September 1926 in the Auckland suburb of Epsom to Annie Eveline Bell and her h ...

, planktologist and botanist (

DSIR Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, abbreviated DSIR was the name of several British Empire organisations founded after the 1923 Imperial Conference to foster intra-Empire trade and development. * Department of Scientific and Industria ...

) (born 1926). * 6 July – Mary Fama, applied mathematician (

, CSIRO) (born 1938). * 9 July ** Betty Gilderdale, children's author, Margaret Mahy Award (1994), Children's Literature Association Award for Services to Children's Literature (1999) (born 1923). ** Ngaire Lane, Olympic swimmer ( 1948) (born 1925). * 11 July –

George Petersen Wilfred George Petersen (13 May 1921 – 28 March 2000) was an Australian politician, affiliated with the Labor Party and elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. Early life and background Petersen was born in Childer ...

, biochemist (

Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

(since 1985), Rutherford Medal (2003) (born 1933). * 15 July – Bruce Watt, rugby union player (

Wanganui Whanganui (; ), also spelled Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whang ...

) and coach (born 1939). * 17 July – Jonathan White, landscape artist and conservationist (born 1938). * 18 July – Philip Sherry, newsreader ( NZBC and TV One ''Network News'', ''Morning Report'', ''3 National News'') and local politician, Auckland Regional Councillor (1995–2004),

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Bay of Plenty Regional Council is the administrative body responsible for overseeing regional land use, environmental management and civil defence in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island. It was founded as part of the 1989 New Ze ...

lor (2004–2016) (born 1933). * 19 July – Paratene Matchitt, artist (

City to Sea Bridge The City to Sea Bridge is a pedestrian bridge and public artwork located in Wellington City, New Zealand. Opened on 31 October 1993, the wedge-shaped bridge crosses arterial road Jervois Quay, connecting the public spaces of Civic Square to the ...

) (born 1933). * 28 July – Malcolm McCaw, cricketer (

) and accountant (born 1930). File:Betty Gilderdale MNZM (cropped).jpg, Betty Gilderdale File:Philip Sherry MNZM (cropped).jpg, Philip Sherry

August

* 1 August – Kihi Ngatai, Māori leader (

Ngāi Te Rangi Ngāi Te Rangi or Ngāiterangi is a Māori people, Māori iwi, based in Tauranga, New Zealand. Its rohe (tribal area) extends to Mayor Island / Tuhua and Waihi Beach, Bowentown in the north, to the Kaimai Range in the west, south of Te Puke and to ...

) and horticulturalist, member of the

Waitangi Tribunal The Waitangi Tribunal (Māori: ''Te Rōpū Whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi'') is a New Zealand permanent commission of inquiry established under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975. It is charged with investigating and making recommendations on cla ...

(2008–2015) (born 1930). * 3 August – Brian Maunsell, Olympic boxer (

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarc ...

) (born 1937). * 4 August –

Graham McRae Graham McRae (5 March 1940 – 4 August 2021) was a racing driver from New Zealand. He achieved considerable success in Formula 5000 racing, winning the Tasman Series each year from 1971 to 1973, and also the 1972 L&M Continental 5000 Champion ...

, motor racing driving, SCCA L&M Continental 5000 Championship winner (

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using mean solar tim ...

Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year The Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year is an annual award "presented to the driver who has performed with the most distinction among first-year drivers in the Indianapolis 500." Criteria includes "on-track performance in practice, qualifying an ...

(1973) (born 1940). * 5 August ** Brian Henderson, Hall of Fame television and radio broadcaster ('' Nine News'', ''Bandstand''), Gold Logie Award (

1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * Janu ...

) (born 1931). **

Murray Rose Iain Murray Rose, (6 January 1939 – 15 April 2012) was an Australian swimmer, actor, sports commentator and marketing executive. He was a six-time Olympic medalist (four gold, one silver, one bronze), and at one time held the world records ...

, politician, MP for

Otago Central Otago Central or Central Otago was a parliamentary electorate in the Otago region of New Zealand, from 1911 to 1919 as ''Otago Central''; from 1928 to 1957 as ''Central Otago''; and from 1957 to 1978 as ''Otago Central''. It was replaced by the ...

(1969–1972) (born 1939). * 7 August – Mark Weedon, rugby union player (

Bay of Plenty The Bay of Plenty ( mi, Te Moana-a-Toi) is a region of New Zealand, situated around a bight of the same name in the northern coast of the North Island. The bight stretches 260 km from the Coromandel Peninsula in the west to Cape Runaw ...

, North Harbour,

Crusaders The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...

) (born 1968). * 8 August –

Perry Harris Perry Colin Harris (11 January 1946 – 8 August 2021) was a New Zealand rugby union player. A prop, Harris represented Manawatu at a provincial level, and was called into the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, as a replacement on thei ...

, rugby union player ( Manawatu,

) (born 1946). * 9 August –

Olivia Podmore Olivia Rose Podmore (24 May 1997 – 9 August 2021) was a New Zealand professional cycle sport, racing cyclist. She represented her country at the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Early life Born in Christchurch in 1997, Oli ...

, Olympic (

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...

) and Commonwealth Games (

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...

) cyclist (born 1997). * 10 August ** Don McKechnie, cricketer ( Otago) and cricket umpire (born 1944). ** John Riordan, jockey,

(1960, 1972), W. S. Cox Plate (1963) (born 1936). ** Peter Whittle, mathematician (

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a public collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world's third oldest surviving university and one of its most pr ...

John von Neumann Theory Prize The John von Neumann Theory Prize of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) is awarded annually to an individual (or sometimes a group) who has made fundamental and sustained contributions to theory in operat ...

(1997),

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemat ...

(since 1978) (born 1927). * 11 August – Sir David Levene, Hall of Fame businessman and philanthropist (born 1929). * 14 August – Francis Mossman, actor (''

'', '' Spartacus: Vengeance'', ''The Horizon'') (born 1988). * 15 August ** Greg Rowlands, rugby union player (

) (born 1947). ** Gary Woollard, rugby league player (

) (born 1942). * 16 August – Marilynn Webb, artist and educator (

Otago Polytechnic Otago Polytechnic was a public New Zealand tertiary education institute, centred in Dunedin with additional campuses in Cromwell and Auckland. Otago Polytechnic provided career-focused education and training, offering a range of New Zealand accr ...

), Frances Hodgkins Fellow (1974), Te Tohu mō Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu (2018) (born 1937). * 17 August – Tom Larkin, public servant and diplomat, ambassador to Japan (1972–1976) (born 1917). * 18 August –

Austin Mitchell Austin Vernon Mitchell (19 September 1934 – 18 August 2021) was a British academic, journalist and Labour Party politician who was the member of Parliament (MP) for Great Grimsby from a 1977 by-election to 2015. He was also the chair of t ...

, academic (

, University of Canterbury), broadcaster ( ''Calendar''), writer (''

The Half-Gallon Quarter-Acre Pavlova Paradise ''The Half-Gallon Quarter-Acre Pavlova Paradise'' was a popular book by Austin Mitchell, published by Whitcombe and Tombs (Christchurch, 1972), with illustrations by Les Gibbard. It provided a witty, satirical description of life in 1960s New Z ...

'') and politician, MP for

Great Grimsby Grimsby or Great Grimsby is a port town and the administrative centre of North East Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire, England. Grimsby adjoins the town of Cleethorpes directly to the south-east forming a conurbation. Grimsby is north-east of Linc ...

(1977–2015) (born 1934). * 19 August ** Sir Michael Cullen, politician, MP (1981–2009), Minister of Social Welfare (1987–1990),

(1999–2008),

(2002–2008) (born 1945). ** Lyn Hartley, local-body politician, Mayor of Kawerau (1986–2001) (born 1941). * 23 August – Gary Tricker, painter and printmaker (born 1938). * 24 August ** Bruce Culpan, rower, British Empire and Commonwealth Games silver medallist (

, 1954) (born 1930). ** Harry Kent, Olympic track cyclist (

), British Commonwealth Games gold medallist (

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''). Between 10,000 and ...

), world championship silver medallist (

Lonsdale Cup The Lonsdale Cup is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 2 miles and 56 yards (3,270 metres), and it is scheduled ...

(1970) (born 1947). * 25 August –

Max Cryer John Maxwell Cryer (10 December 1935 – 25 August 2021), generally known as Max Cryer, was a New Zealand television producer and presenter, radio broadcaster, entertainment producer, singer, cabaret performer and writer. Early life and educ ...

, broadcaster, entertainer and writer, Entertainer of the Year (1973), Benny Award (1977) (born 1935). * 28 August – Joye Evans, radiographer and guiding leader, New Zealand Girl Guides chief commissioner (1983–1988) (born 1929). File:Graham McRae Levin 1970.jpg, Graham McRae File:UCI Track World Championships 2020 096.jpg, Olivia Podmore File:David Levene KNZM (cropped).jpg, Sir David Levene File:Austin Mitchell.jpg, Austin Mitchell File:Michael Cullen, 2008.jpg, Sir Michael Cullen File:Max Cryer 2000 (cropped).jpg, Max Cryer

September

* 1 September ** Noel Dellow, cricketer (

) (born 1929). **

Alison Gray Alison Mary Gray (11 March 1943 – 1 September 2021) was a New Zealand writer and social researcher. She wrote 11 books, ranging from feminist oral histories to novels and children's books. Gray established a social policy research consultancy ...

, writer and social researcher (born 1943). * 4 September ** Martin Thompson, artist (born 1956). ** Lydia Wevers, literary academic (

), editor and critic (born 1950). * 5 September – Viv Stephens, cricket player (

) and administrator (born 1953). * 6 September **

Billy Apple Billy Apple (born Barrie Bates; 31 December 19356 September 2021) was a New Zealand/USA artist, whose work is associated with the British and New York schools of pop art in the 1960s and NY's Conceptual Art movement in the 1970s. He worked alo ...

, pop artist,

Arts Foundation of New Zealand 'The Arts Foundation of New Zealand Te Tumu Toi is a New Zealand arts organisation that supports artistic excellence and facilitates private philanthropy through raising funds for the arts and allocating it to New Zealand artists. The concept ...

Icon (since 2018) (born 1935). ** Peter Arnold, cricket player (

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...

) and administrator, president of Northamptonshire County Cricket Club (1996–2000) (born 1926). * 17 September –

Angela Ballara Heather Angela Ballara (née Devitt; 16 August 1944 – 17 September 2021) was a New Zealand historian who specialised in Māori history. She was appointed a member of the Waitangi Tribunal in 2004. After a short break, she was reappointed to t ...

, historian, member of the

(2003–2020) (born 1944). * 19 September – Dame Jocelyn Fish, women's rights advocate and local politician, Piako county councillor (1980–1989), president of the National Council of Women (1986–1990) (born 1930). * 23 September **

Taito Phillip Field Taito Phillip Hans Field (26 September 1952 – 23 September 2021) was a Samoan-born New Zealand trade unionist and politician. A Member of Parliament (MP) for South Auckland electorates from 1993 to 2008, Field was the first New Zealand MP of ...

, politician, MP for Otara (1993–1996) and

Māngere Māngere () or Mangere is one of the largest suburbs in Auckland, in northern New Zealand. It is located on mainly flat land on the northeastern shore of the Manukau Harbour, to the northwest of Manukau City Centre and 15 kilometres south of ...

(1996–2008), leader of the

New Zealand Pacific Party The New Zealand Pacific Party was a Christianity, Christian political party that existed in New Zealand from 2008 to 2010. The party was founded as a vehicle for former New Zealand Labour Party, Labour MP Taito Phillip Field, who was subsequentl ...

(2008–2010) (born 1952). ** John Mitchell, historian (born 1941). * 24 September –

Waka Nathan Waka Joseph Nathan (8 July 1940 – 24 September 2021) was a New Zealand rugby union player who played rugby union for the New Zealand national team (the "All Blacks") as a flanker. His feats on the field gained him the nickname "The Black Pan ...

, rugby union player (

), selector and administrator,

Tom French Cup In rugby union, the Tom French Cup is an honour awarded by New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to the Tom French Memorial Māori player of the year. The cup has been awarded annually since 1949, when it was donated to the New Zealand Māori coach To ...

(1962, 1966), president of the

Auckland Rugby Union The Auckland Rugby Union is a New Zealand provincial rugby union. The union was established in 1883 and was originally responsible for the administration of the sport in most of the former Auckland Province, although its boundaries have since ...

(2003–2004) (born 1940). * 30 September ** Dorothea Brown, librarian (

Christchurch City Libraries Christchurch City Libraries is operated by the Christchurch City Council and is a network of 21 libraries and a mobile book bus. Following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake the previous Christchurch Central Library building was demolished, and wa ...

) (born 1938). ** Jenny Kirk, politician, MP for

Birkenhead Birkenhead (; cy, Penbedw) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England; historically, it was part of Cheshire until 1974. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the south bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liver ...

(1987–1990), North Shore city councillor (1995–2001) (born 1945). File:Billy Apple 2018 (cropped).jpg, Billy Apple File:Taito Phillip Field (ca 1995).jpg, Taito Phillip Field File:Waka Nathan c1961.jpg, Waka Nathan

October

* 1 October – Earle Wells, Hall of Fame sailor, Olympic champion (

) (born 1933). * 4 October ** Laurie Davidson, Hall of Fame yacht designer ('' NZL 32'') (born 1926). ** John Hastie, Commonwealth Games sport shooter ( 1978, 1982) and gunsmith, Ballinger Belt (1982) (born 1938). ** Joy Watson, children's author,

Gaelyn Gordon Award The Gaelyn Gordon Award is awarded annually by the Children's Literature Foundation (now called the Storylines Children's Literature Foundation) to a well-loved work of New Zealand children's fiction. History This award is named after Gaelyn Go ...

(2000) (born 1938). * 5 October – Pam Williams, Hall of Fame businesswoman and philanthropist (born 1933). * 6 October – Sir Noel Anderson, lawyer and judge, president of the Court of Appeal (2004–2006), Supreme Court justice (2006–2008),

(since 1986) (born 1944). * 8 October ** Jack Manning, architect (

Majestic Centre The Majestic Centre, designed by Jack Manning of Manning Mitchell in association with Kendon McGrail of Jasmax Architects, was completed in 1991. The main building of the Majestic Centre is the Majestic Tower which is the tallest building in Well ...

NZIA Gold Medal The New Zealand Institute of Architects Gold Medal is an award presented annually by the Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) to a New Zealand architect. History From 1927 until 1977 a gold, silver or bronze prize wa ...

(2011) (born 1928). **

Ian Ormond John Lambie "Ian" Ormond (5 August 1949 – 8 October 2021) was an association football player who represented New Zealand at international level. Biography Ormond was born in Harthill, Scotland, on 5 August 1949, and migrated with his family t ...

, association footballer ( Blockhouse Bay,

) (born 1949). * 11 October – Barry Mora, operatic baritone ( Gelsenkirchen Opera House,

Frankfurt Opera House The Oper Frankfurt (Frankfurt Opera) is a German opera company based in Frankfurt. Opera in Frankfurt am Main has a long tradition, with many world premieres such as Franz Shrek's ''Der ferne Klang'' in 1912, '' Fennimore und Gerda'' by Frede ...

) (born 1940). * 13 October – Ray Cranch, rugby league player (

) and administrator (born 1923). * 18 October **

Fred Goodall Frederick Robert Goodall (9 January 1938 – 18 October 2021) was a New Zealand international cricket umpire who officiated in 24 Tests and 15 One-Day Internationals between 1965 and 1988. Goodall was the son of Fred and Betty Goodall from Gr ...

, cricket umpire (born 1938). ** Sean Wainui, rugby union player (

, Chiefs,

Māori All Blacks The Māori All Blacks, previously called the New Zealand Maori, New Zealand Maoris and New Zealand Natives, are a rugby union team from New Zealand. They are a representative team of the New Zealand Rugby Union, and a prerequisite for playing i ...

) (born 1995). * 19 October – Bob Graham, rugby union player (

Junior All Blacks The All Blacks XV is the second national rugby union team of New Zealand, after the All Blacks. New Zealand's second national team has had numerous names in its history: Junior All Blacks, New Zealand XV, New Zealand A, New Zealand B, All Blacks ...

) and coach (

) (born 1936). * 31 October – Dame Catherine Tizard, zoologist (

University of Auckland , mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work , established = 1883; years ago , endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021) , chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant , vice_chancellor = Dawn F ...

), television personality (''

Beauty and the Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' (''The Young American and Marine ...

''), and politician,

mayor of Auckland City The Mayor of Auckland City was the directly elected head of the Auckland City Council, the municipal government of Auckland City, New Zealand. The office existed from 1871 to 2010, when the Auckland City Council and mayoralty was abolished and ...

(1983–1990), governor-general (1990–1996) (born 1931). File:Pam Williams 2017 (cropped).jpg, Pam Williams File:Cath Tizard ONZ 2009 (cropped).jpg, Dame Catherine Tizard

November

* 13 November **

Michael Corballis Michael Charles Corballis (10 September 1936 – 13 November 2021) was a New Zealand and Canadian psychologist and author. He was Emeritus Professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of Auckland. His fields of research were c ...

, psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist (

), Rutherford Medal (2016) (born 1936). ** Jack Kiddey, cricketer (

) (born 1929). **

Keith Mann Keith Mann is a British animal rights campaigner and direct action activist who acted as a spokesman for the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), and was alleged by police in 2005 to be a ringleader for the ALF. He was imprisoned twice, and is the au ...

, British Empire and Commonwealth Games fencer (

1962 Events January * January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand. * January 3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro for preaching communism. * January 8 – Harmelen train disaster: 93 die in the wor ...

, 1966), and sports administrator (born 1932). * 15 November – Sir Rod Weir, Hall of Fame stock and station agent and businessman (born 1927). * 16 November –

John Luxton Murray John Finlay Luxton (14 September 1946 – 16 November 2021) was a New Zealand National Party politician, serving as a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2002. From 2008 to 2015, he was the Chairman of DairyNZ, the organisation that repre ...

, politician, MP for

Matamata Matamata () is a town in Waikato, New Zealand. It is located near the base of the Kaimai Ranges, and is a thriving farming area known for Thoroughbred horse breeding and training pursuits. It is part of the Matamata-Piako District, which tak ...

(1987–1996) and Karapiro (1996–1999),

list MP A list MP is a member of parliament (MP) elected from a party list rather than from by a geographical constituency. The place in Parliament is due to the number of votes that the party won, not to votes received by the MP personally. This occurs ...

(1999–2002), Minister of Police (1994–1996), Minister for Land Information (1996–1999) (born 1946). * 23 November – Robert Ellis, artist and professor of fine arts (

Elam School of Fine Arts The Elam School of Fine Arts, founded by John Edward Elam, is part of the Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries at the University of Auckland. Students study degrees in fine art with an emphasis on a multidisciplinary approach. The schoo ...

) (born 1929). * 27 November –

Jimmy O'Dea James Augustine O'Dea (26 April 1899 – 7 January 1965) was an Irish actor and comedian. Life Jimmy O'Dea was born at 11 Lower Bridge Street, Dublin, to James O'Dea, an ironmonger, and Martha O'Gorman, who kept a small toy shop. He was one ...

, trade unionist and activist (born 1935). File:Sir Roderick Weir 1988 (cropped).jpg, Sir Rod Weir File:John Luxton (cropped).jpg, John Luxton

December

* 2 December – Lyndsey Leask, Hall of Fame softball administrator (born 1935). * 6 December –

Tom Horton Dr. Thomas Horton is a fictional character and patriarch of the Horton family on the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. He was played by Macdonald Carey from 1965 until his death in 1994. Storylines Tom Horton was born in 1910, married his w ...

, air force pilot and commander ( Royal New Zealand Air Force,

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

) (born 1919). * 9 December ** Brian Aldridge, cricket umpire (born 1940). ** Julie Brougham, Olympic equestrian (

) (born 1954). * 12 December –

Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi Siosaia Lausiʻi, Lord Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi, also known as Lord Maʻafu (of Vaini and Tokomololo) (1 July 1955 – 12 December 2021), was a Tongan politician, military officer, and member of the Tongan nobility. Biography Lausiʻi was born in ...

, Tongan noble, deputy prime minister of Tonga (since 2020) (born 1955). * 24 December – Terry Morrison, rugby union player ( Otago,

) and sprinter (born 1951). * 26 December – George Johnson, artist (born 1926). * 27 December –

Keri Hulme Keri Ann Ruhi Hulme (9 March 194727 December 2021) was a New Zealand novelist, poet and short-story writer. She also wrote under the pen name Kai Tainui. Her novel '' The Bone People'' won the Booker Prize in 1985; she was the first New Zealan ...

, writer (''

The Bone People ''The Bone People'', styled by the writer and in some editions as ''the bone people'', is a 1984 novel by New Zealand writer Keri Hulme. Set on the coast of the South Island of New Zealand, the novel focuses on three characters, all of whom ar ...

''), Booker Prize (1985) (born 1947). * 30 December – Billy Harrison, rugby league player (

) (born 1938). File:Wing Commander Tom Horton in 1945.jpg, Tom Horton File:Brian Aldridge (cropped).jpg, Brian Aldridge File:Lord Ma’afu.jpg, Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi File:Keri Hulme 1983.jpg, Keri Hulme

References

{{Year in Oceania, 2021 Years in New Zealand Years of the 21st century in New Zealand 2020s in New Zealand