The following lists events that happened during 2016 in New Zealand.

Population

;National Estimated populations as at 30 June. For urban areas, * New Zealand total – 4,693,000 *

North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-larges ...

– 3,596,200 *

South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...

– 1,096,200 ;Main urban areas Estimated populations as at 30 June. *

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 I ...

– 1,495,000 *

Blenheim Blenheim ( ) is the English name of Blindheim, a village in Bavaria, Germany, which was the site of the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. Almost all places and other things called Blenheim are named directly or indirectly in honour of the battle. Places ...

– 30,700 *

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...

– 389,700 *

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

– 118,500 * Gisborne – 36,100 *

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilto ...

– 229,900 *

Invercargill Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse ...

– 50,700 * Kapiti – 41,800 * Napier-Hastings – 131,000 * Nelson – 65,700 *

New Plymouth New Plymouth ( mi, Ngāmotu) is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, Devon from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. Th ...

– 56,800 *

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...

– 84,300 *

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 encomp ...

– 57,800 *

Tauranga Tauranga () is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty region and the fifth most populous city of New Zealand, with an urban population of , or roughly 3% of the national population. It was settled by Māori late in the 13th century, colonised by ...

– 134,500 *

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 ...

– 405,000 *

Whanganui 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 ...

– 39,600 *

Whangārei Whangārei () is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the regional capital of Northland Region. It is part of the Whangārei District, a local body created in 1989 from the former Whangārei City, Whangārei County and Hikurangi Town coun ...

– 56,400

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 ...

–

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 durin ...

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 ...

– Jerry Mateparae until 31 August, then Patsy Reddy from 28 September. File:Queen Elizabeth II in March 2015.jpg, Elizabeth II File:Sir Jerry Mateparae February 2015.jpg, Jerry Mateparae File:Patsy Reddy 2016.jpg, Patsy Reddy

Government

2016 is the second full year of the 51st Parliament, which first sat on 21 October 2014. The

Fifth National Government Neville Chamberlain formed the Chamberlain war ministry in 1939 after declaring war on Germany. Chamberlain led the country for the first eight months of the Second World War, until the Norway Debate in Parliament led Chamberlain to resign a ...

, first elected in 2008, 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 Hunger ...

– David Carter *

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 ...

–

John Key Sir John Phillip Key (born 9 August 1961) is a New Zealand retired politician who served as the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2008 to 2016 and as Leader of the New Zealand National Party from 2006 to 2016. After resigning from bo ...

(until 12 December), then

Bill English Sir Simon William English (born 30 December 1961) is a New Zealand former National Party politician who served as the 39th prime minister of New Zealand from 2016 to 2017 and as the 17th deputy prime minister of New Zealand and minister of f ...

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, ...

–

(until 12 December), then

Paula Bennett Paula Lee Bennett (born 9 April 1969) is a New Zealand former politician who served as the 18th deputy prime minister of New Zealand between December 2016 and October 2017. She served as the deputy leader of the National Party from 2016 to 2020 ...

* Leader of the House –

Gerry Brownlee Gerard Anthony Brownlee (born 4 February 1956) is a New Zealand politician of the New Zealand National Party. He has been a Member of Parliament since 1996, was Leader of the House, Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery and Minister of ...

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", ...

–

, then (from 20 December) Steven Joyce *

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 ...

–

Murray McCully Murray Stuart McCully (born 19 February 1953) is a former New Zealand politician. He is a member of the National Party, and served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2017. Early life Born in Whangārei, McCully was educated at Ar ...

File:David Carter Senate of Poland 2015 01.JPG, David Carter File:John Key (cropped).jpg, John Key File:Bill English 09-16 (2).jpg, Bill English File:Paula Bennett Official.png, Paula Bennett File:Gerry Brownlee 2017.jpg, Gerry Brownlee File:Steven Joyce 2016 (cropped).jpg, Steven Joyce File:Murray McCully November 2016.jpg, Murray McCully

Other party leaders

* Labour – Andrew Little *

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 combin ...

– James Shaw and

Metiria Turei Metiria Leanne Agnes Stanton Turei (born 1970) is a New Zealand academic and a former New Zealand politician. She was a Member of Parliament from 2002 to 2017 and the female co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand from 2009 to 2017 ...

New Zealand First New Zealand First ( mi, Aotearoa Tuatahi), commonly abbreviated to NZ First, is a nationalist and populist political party in New Zealand. The party formed in July 1993 following the resignation on 19 March 1993 of its leader and founder, Win ...

–

Winston Peters Winston Raymond Peters (born 11 April 1945) is a New Zealand politician serving as the leader of New Zealand First since its foundation in 1993. Peters served as the 13th deputy prime minister of New Zealand from 1996 to 1998 and 2017 to 2020, ...

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 ...

–

Te Ururoa Flavell Te Ururoa James William Ben Flavell (born 7 December 1955), also known as Hemi Flavell, is a New Zealand politician who was a co-leader of the Māori Party from 2013 until 2018 and represented the Waiariki electorate for the party in Parliamen ...

and

Marama Fox Marama Kahu Fox is a former New Zealand politician who was elected to the New Zealand parliament at the 2014 general election as a representative of the Māori Party. Following her election to parliament, she was named Māori Party co-leader al ...

ACT New Zealand ACT New Zealand, known simply as ACT (), is a right-wing, classical-liberal political party in New Zealand. According to former party leader Rodney Hide, ACT's values are "individual freedom, personal responsibility, doing the best for our natur ...

– David Seymour *

United Future United Future New Zealand, usually known as United Future, was a centrist political party in New Zealand. The party was in government between 2005 and 2017, first alongside Labour (2005–2008) and then supporting National (2008–2017). U ...

–

Peter Dunne Peter Francis Dunne (born 17 March 1954) is a retired New Zealand politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ōhāriu. He held the seat and its predecessors from 1984 to 2017—representing the Labour Party in Parliament from 1984 ...

File:Andrew Little, 2016.jpg, Andrew Little File:James Shaw, 2014 (cropped).jpg, James Shaw File:Metiria Turei crop.png, Metiria Turei File:Winston Peters swearing in (cropped).jpg, Winston Peters File:Te Ururoa Flavell, 2012.jpg, Te Ururoa Flavell File:2015 Portrait of Marama Fox 01 Cropped.jpg, Marama Fox File:David Seymour (cropped).jpg, David Seymour File:Peter Dunne.jpg, Peter Dunne

Judiciary

* Chief Justice —

Sian Elias Dame Sian Seerpoohi Elias (born 13 March 1949) is a New Zealand former Government official, who served as the 12th Chief Justice of New Zealand, and was therefore the most senior member of the country's judiciary. She was the presiding judge o ...

File:Sian Elias.jpg, Sian Elias

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 amalg ...

–

Len Brown Leonard Charles Brown (born 1 October 1956)) is a former mayor of Auckland, New Zealand, and former head of the Auckland Council. He won the 2010 Auckland mayoral election on 9 October 2010 and was sworn in as Mayor of Auckland on 1 Novembe ...

, then from 1 November

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 –

Stuart Crosby Stuart Alan Crosby ONZM (born 1956) is a New Zealand politician who served as mayor of the city of Tauranga, New Zealand from 2004 to 2016. Early life Crosby's family moved from Gisborne to Papamoa in 1966, where they started the Papamoa B ...

, then from 31 October Greg Brownless * Mayor of Hamilton –

Julie Hardaker Julie Hardaker was the Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand, from October 2010 to October 2016. Born in New Zealand, she was self-employed in Australia in the 1980s. After graduating from the University of Waikato, she joined the Hamilton law firm McC ...

, then from 9 November Andrew King *

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 ...

–

Celia Wade-Brown Celia may refer to: General * Celia (given name) *''Celia'', a subgenus of carabid beetles of the genus '' Amara'' *Celia, the last natural-born Pyrenean Ibex * Celia (virtual assistant), AI virtual assistant by Huawei *, a number of ships with ...

, then from 26 October Justin Lester *

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, Phi ...

–

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 ...

–

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. Befor ...

File:Len brown.jpg, Len Brown File:Phil Goff CNZM (cropped).jpg, Phil Goff File:Stuart Crosby.jpg, Stuart Crosby File:Trafinz 2016 Brownless.jpg, Greg Brownless File:Julie Hardaker (cropped).jpg, Julie Hardaker File:Andrew King (crop).jpg, Andrew King File:Celia Wade-Brown, 2013.jpg, Celia Wade-Brown File:Justin Lester 2016 (cropped).jpg, Justin Lester File:Lianne Dalziel September 2017.jpg, Lianne Dalziell File:Dave Cull-Blueskin News.jpg, Dave Cull

Events

January

February

* 8 February – Operation Neptune (New Zealand) begins. * 14 February – Significant aftershock in Christchurch causing some cliffs to collapse.

March

* 3–24 March – Second referendum on changing the country's flag – existing flag retained

April

May

June

* 6 June – The

2016 Queen's Birthday Honours The 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded as pa ...

are announced

July

August

* 5–21 August – 132 athletes from New Zealand will compete in the

2016 Summer Olympics ) , nations = 207 (including IOA and EOR teams) , athletes = 11,238 , events = 306 in 28 sports (41 disciplines) , opening = 5 August 2016 , closing = 21 August 2016 , opened_by = Vice President Michel Temer , cauldron = Vanderlei Cordeiro de ...

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...

, Brazil

September

October

* 8 October – New Zealand local elections

November

* 14 November – A 7.5–7.8 M_W earthquake strikes Kaikoura district as significant aftershock in

, which killed at least two people. * 22 November – Operation Neptune (New Zealand) ends.

December

* 5 December –

announces that he will step down as

New Zealand Prime Minister The prime minister of New Zealand ( mi, Te pirimia o Aotearoa) is the head of government of New Zealand. The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, took office on 26 October 2017. The prime minister (inf ...

and leader of the National Party on 12 December * 12 December –

is sworn in as New Zealand's 39th

, following the resignation of

* 31 December – The

2017 New Year Honours The 2017 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours were awarded as part of the New Year celebrati ...

are announced

Arts and literature

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 Suzanne Prentice OBE.

Sport

Awards

* 54th Halberg Awards (awarded 9 February 2017 for the 2016 calendar year) ** Supreme Award – Lisa Carrington (canoeing) ** Sportsman –

Mahé Drysdale Alexander Mahé Owens Drysdale (born 19 November 1978) is a retired New Zealand rower. Drysdale is a two-time Olympic champion and a five-time world champion in the single sculls. He is a seven-time New Zealand national champion and five-time ...

(rowing) ** Sportswoman – Lisa Carrington (canoeing) ** Team – Men's 49er class: Peter Burling &

Blair Tuke Andrew Blair Tuke (born 25 July 1989) is a New Zealand sailor who won the 2021 Americas Cup Held in Auckland and also won the 2017 Version held in Bermuda. He also won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics, and the silver medal at the 201 ...

(sailing) ** Disabled Sportsperson – Liam Malone (athletics) ** Coach – Gordon Walker (canoeing) ** Emerging Talent – Campbell Stewart (cycling)

Olympics

* New Zealand sends a team of 199 competitors across 20 sports. * Sprint canoeist Lisa Carrington becomes the first New Zealand women to win two medals in the same Olympic Games.

Paralympics

*Swimmer Sophie Pascoe overtook

Eve Rimmer Eva Marion "Eve" Rimmer née Davies (3 April 1937 – 23 November 1996) was a New Zealand Paralympic athlete. She was born in Whanganui, New Zealand and became one of New Zealand's greatest paraplegic athletes, winning 32 medals – including ...

to become New Zealand's most successful Paralympian in terms of medals won.

Athletics

Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The ina ...

** Valerie Adams won the silver medal in the women's shot put (20.42 m) **

Eliza McCartney Eliza McCartney (born 11 December 1996) is a New Zealand track and field athlete who competes in the pole vault and won the bronze medal in this event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She is the current New Zealand and Oceania record holder at , an ...

won the bronze medal in the women's pole vault (4.80 m) ** Tom Walsh won the bronze medal in the men's shot put (21.36 m) **

Nick Willis Nicholas Ian Willis (born 25 April 1983) is a New Zealand middle distance runner and the country's only two-time Olympic medalist in the 1500 metres. He won the silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and bronze at the 2016 Olympics in Ri ...

won the bronze medal in the men's 1500 metres (3:50.24) *

Summer Paralympics The Summer Paralympics also known as the Games of the Paralympiad, are an international multi-sport event where athletes with physical disabilities compete. This includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebra ...

** Liam Malone won gold medals in the men's 200 metres T44 and men's 400 metres T44, and the silver medal in the men's 100 metres T44 ** Anna Grimaldi won the gold medal in the women's long jump T47 ** Holly Robinson won the silver medal in the women's javelin throw F46 ** William Stedman won bronze medals in the men's 400 metres T36 and the men's 800 metres T36. ** Jess Hamill won the bronze medal in the women's shot put F34 ** Rory McSweeney won the bronze medal in the men's javelin throw F44

Rowing

Hamish Bond Hamish Bryon Bond (born 13 February 1986) is a retired New Zealand rower and former road cyclist. He is a three-time Olympic gold medallist at the 2012 London Olympic Games, the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, and at the 2020 Tokyo Olymp ...

and Eric Murray won the gold medal in the men's coxless pair **

won the gold medal in the men's single sculls **

Genevieve Behrent Genevieve "Gen" Behrent (now Macky; born 25 September 1990) is a New Zealand rower. Schooling Behrent was born in Oamaru in 1990. She received her schooling at Southland Girls' High School in Invercargill. Behrent had planned to start her tert ...

and Rebecca Scown won the silver medal in the women's coxless pair * New Zealand Secondary School Championships (Maadi Cup) ** Maadi Cup (boys U18 coxed eight) – Christ's College ** Levin 75th Jubilee Cup (girls U18 coxed eight) – Diocesan School for Girls ** Star Trophy (overall points) – St Peter's School (Cambridge)

Shooting

*Ballinger Belt – Malcolm Dodson (Kaituna/Blenheim) *

–

Natalie Rooney Natalie Ellen Rooney (born 1 June 1988) is a New Zealand sport shooter, competing primarily in trap shooting events. Rooney is from Waimate in South Canterbury. Her father is Gary Rooney, a prominent businessman involved in earthmoving and i ...

won the silver medal in the women's trap shooting

Youth Olympics

* New Zealand sends a team of 11 competitors in five sports.

Births

* 6 November –

Probabeel Probabeel (foaled 6 November 2016) is a multiple Group 1 winning New Zealand bred thoroughbred racehorse. Background Probabeel was born and bred at Waikato Stud in Matamata, New Zealand. Initially the stud intended to keep her for racing, how ...

, Thoroughbred racehorse

Deaths

January

* 2 January –

Tim Francis Harold Huyton Francis (1 May 1928 – 2 January 2016), known as Tim Francis, was a New Zealand diplomat. He was the nation's permanent representative to the United Nations from 1978 to 1982, and Ambassador to the United States from 1988 to 1991. ...

, diplomat (born 1928) * 5 January – Keith Thiele, World War II pilot (born 1921) * 7 January –

David Shale David Winston Howard Shale (22 March 1932, New Zealand – 7 January 2016) was a New Zealand-American mathematician, specializing in the mathematical foundations of quantum physics. He is known as one of the namesakes of the Segal–Shale-Weil re ...

, mathematician (born 1932) * 8 January –

Ida Gaskin Ida Margaret Gaskin (née Jacobs, 9 December 1919 – 8 January 2016) was a Welsh-born New Zealand schoolteacher and politician, known for her expert knowledge of Shakespeare, and for becoming the first woman in New Zealand to win the local ver ...

, schoolteacher, quiz show contestant, politician (born 1919) * 17 January **

Melvin Day Melvin Norman "Pat" Day (30 June 1923 – 17 January 2016) was a New Zealand artist and art historian. Biography Day was born in Hamilton, New Zealand. At the age of eleven, Day began Saturday morning classes at Elam School of Art, University o ...

, artist (born 1923) ** Jules Le Lievre, rugby union player (born 1933) * 22 January – Alec Wishart, musician (born 1939) * 23 January –

Barry Brickell Ian Barry Brickell (26 October 1935 – 23 January 2016) was a New Zealand potter, writer, conservationist and founder of Driving Creek Railway. Biography Born in New Plymouth in 1935, Brickell was the son of Shirley Margaret Wooler and Maur ...

, potter (born 1935) * 24 January – Neville Black, rugby union and rugby league player (born 1925) * 26 January – Bob Thomas, long jumper (born 1939) * 27 January – Shirley Tonkin, sudden infant death syndrome researcher (born 1921) * 28 January ** Rob Courtney, Paralympic athlete (born 1959) ** Peter Robinson, musician (born 1958) **

Bob Tizard Robert James Tizard (7 June 1924 – 28 January 2016) was a Labour politician from New Zealand. He served as the sixth deputy prime minister, the minister of Finance, minister of Health and minister of Defence. Biography Early life and career ...

, politician, deputy prime minister (1974–75) (born 1924) * 31 January **

Mere Broughton Mary Mereiwa Broughton (née Whakaruru, 24 December 1938 – 31 January 2016), known as Mere Broughton, was a New Zealand Māori language activist and unionist. Early life Of Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi, Te Arawa and Ngāti ...

, Māori language activist, unionist (born 1938) ** Rona McCarthy, athlete (born 1916)

February

* 1 February –

Kelly McGarry Kelly McGarry (17 April 1982 – 1 February 2016) was a professional New Zealand freeride mountain biker and X-Games Athlete. He was known for his best trick award in the 2013 Red Bull Rampage when he backflipped a 72-foot canyon gap. The vide ...

, mountain biker (born 1982) * 2 February ** Chris Kenny, boxing trainer (born 1937) **

Marcus Turner Marcus William Turner (16 February 1956 – 2 February 2016) was a New Zealand singer-songwriter and folk musician. He performed at folk festivals in New Zealand, Australia, and overseas. He was also a presenter in the TVNZ children's television ...

, singer-songwriter, folk musician, television presenter (born 1956) * 7 February – Andrew Hintz, cricketer (born 1963) * 10 February – John Spencer, businessman (born 1934) * 13 February – Barry Jones, Catholic Bishop of Christchurch (born 1941) * 17 February –

Sophia Hawthorne Sophia Amelia Hawthorne ( Peabody; September 21, 1809 – February 26, 1871) was an American painter and illustrator as well as the wife of author Nathaniel Hawthorne. She also published her journals and various articles. Life Early life ...

, actress (born 1976) * 23 February – George Newton, weightlifter (born 1936) * 24 February – Ken English, rugby league player (born 1927) * 26 February – Jack Forrest, rugby league player (born 1924) * 28 February – Bob Morrison, association footballer (born 1926) * 29 February –

Ranginui Walker Ranginui Joseph Isaac Walker (1 March 1932 – 29 February 2016) was an influential New Zealand academic, author, and activist of Māori and Lebanese descent. "I think he was ''the'' Māori commentator for a very long period," his biographer, ...

, Māori academic (born 1932)

March

* 3 March –

Martin Crowe Martin David Crowe (22 September 1962 – 3 March 2016) was a New Zealand cricketer, Test and ODI captain as well as a commentator. He played for the New Zealand national cricket team between 1982 and 1995, and is regarded as one of the count ...

, cricketer (born 1962) * 4 March – Harry Turbott, architect, landscape architect, environmentalist (born 1930) * 5 March – David Abbott, cricket umpire (born 1934) * 10 March – Judy Pickard, abstract painter, librarian and advocate for women's rights (born 1921) * 11 March –

Sel Belsham Selwyn Eric Belsham (28 September 1930 – 11 March 2016) was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand at the 1957 World Cup. His position of preference was at . He also played cricket for Auckland. His brother Vic was al ...

, rugby league player, cricketer (born 1930) * 16 March –

George Menzies George Menzies (30 September 1930 – 16 March 2016) was a New Zealand rugby league player and coach who represented New Zealand at three World Cups and coached New Zealand at another World Cup. In 2007 he was named the greatest New Zealand had ...

, rugby league player and coach (born 1930) * 18 March –

Paul Swadel Paul Regan Swadel (23 October 1968 – 18 March 2016) was a New Zealand film director and producer. Life and career Swadel nurtured a filmmaking partnership with James Cunningham that spanned fifteen years and four globally successful shor ...

, film director and producer (born 1969) * 19 March –

Graham Fortune Graham Charles Fortune (13 December 1941 – 19 March 2016) was a New Zealand diplomat and public servant. He served as New Zealand's High Commissioner to Australia from 1994 to 1999, and Secretary of Defence from 1999 until 2006. Early life ...

, diplomat and public servant (born 1941) * 25 March –

Ross Jennings Ross James Jennings (13 November 1944 – 25 March 2016) was a New Zealand actor, becoming one of New Zealand's most experienced television producers and directors, whose credits included ''The Mad Dog Gang'', '' Close to Home'', Moynihan, Insi ...

, television producer and director (born 1944) * 27 March – Frank Torley, television reporter, director and producer (born 1941) * 31 March – Mark Vryenhoek, alpine skier (born 1960)

April

* 3 April ** Rowley Habib, poet, playwright, short-story writer (born 1933) ** Whai Ngata, broadcaster, journalist, lexicographer (born 1942) * 4 April – Maida Bryant, politician, community leader (born 1926) * 7 April – Matiu Dickson, politician, kapa haka exponent (born 1952) * 11 April – Ruth Gilbert, poet (born 1917) * 12 April – Alan Loveday, violinist (born 1928) * 13 April –

Kurtis Haiu Kurtis Taniela Haiu (14 July 1984 – 13 April 2016) was a New Zealand rugby union player who played for Blues in Super Rugby and represented Auckland in the Air New Zealand Cup. Career Representative Rugby Haiu represented New Zealand at Se ...

, rugby union player (born 1984) * 14 April – Colin Knight, educationalist (born 1934) * 22 April ** Rex Fell, Thoroughbred racehorse breeder (born 1945) **

Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show'', featured on a number of hit comic songs ...

, sports broadcaster (born 1921) * 23 April – Bill Sevesi, musician (born 1923) * 24 April – Paul Annear, jeweller (born 1947) * 27 April – Chris Parkinson, broadcaster (born 1941)

May

* 3 May – Ian Quigley, politician (born 1931) * 13 May – David Garner, physical oceanographer (born 1928) * 18 May –

Ian Watkin Ian Watkin (25 January 1940 – 18 May 2016) was a New Zealand actor known for the films '' Braindead'' and '' Sleeping Dogs''. Watkin grew up in Greymouth, and started his career in theatre and radio plays, and working as a magazine editor befo ...

, actor (born 1940) * 21 May – Tony Kriletich, rugby league player (born 1944) * 25 May – Bob Sorenson, rugby union player and coach, cricketer (born 1923)

June

* 1 June –

Leonard Boyle Leonard Eugene Boyle, OP, (13 November 1923 – 25 October 1999), was an Irish and Canadian scholar in medieval studies and palaeography. He was the first Irish and North American Prefect of the Vatican Library in Rome from 1984 to 1997. He ...

, bishop (born 1930) * 2 June ** Keith Lawrence, World War II fighter pilot (born 1919) **

Brian Reidy Brian Thomas Reidy (27 January 1939 – 2 June 2016) was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand. Playing career Reidy played for the Marist club and represented Auckland. He made his debut for the New Zealand national rugb ...

, rugby league player (born 1939) * 4 June – Bill Snowden, rugby league player (born 1935) * 6 June – Keith Smith, cricketer (born 1929) * 7 June – Sir

Graham Latimer Sir Graham Stanley Latimer (7 February 1926 – 7 June 2016) was a New Zealand Māori leader, chosen in the late 1960s to be a new leader to resolve Māori grievances. He was a member of the New Zealand Māori Council from 1964, and preside ...

, Māori leader (born 1926) * 9 June – Joyce Carpenter, diver (born 1923) * 10 June – Derek Wilson, architect and environmentalist (born 1922) * 15 June – David Hall, chemistry academic (born 1928) * 16 June – Pat Suggate, geologist (born 1922) * 21 June – Susanna Ounei, Kanak independence activist, feminist (born 1945) * 23 June – Roy Crawford, mechanical engineering academic, university administrator (born 1949) * 25 June – Jack Cropp, yachtsman (born 1927) * 27 June – Dame

Grace Hollander Dame Grace Shellie Hollander (née Goldsmith, 25 March 1922 – 27 June 2016) was a New Zealand community leader. Biography Born in Christchurch on 25 March 1922, Grace Shellie Goldsmith was the daughter of post-World War I Jewish migrants to N ...

, community leader (born 1922) * 29 June – Maurie Gordon, sport shooter (born 1926)

July

* 5 July ** Johnny Borland, high jumper, athletics administrator (born 1925) **

Max Carr John Maxwell Carr (14 June 1922 – 5 July 2016) was a New Zealand field athlete and coach, athletics official, and air force officer. He represented his country at the 1950 and 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, and served as a wing ...

, field athlete and coach, athletics official, air force officer (born 1922) ** Rex Pickering, rugby union player (born 1936) * 14 July **

Ivan Bootham Ivan Thomas Bootham (20 July 1939 – 14 July 2016) was a New Zealand novelist, short story writer, poet and composer. Biography Bootham was born in Farnworth, Lancashire, England, on 20 July 1939, the son of the painter Joe Bootham, and migrat ...

, writer, composer (born 1939) ** Hallard "Snow" White, rugby union player, coach and administrator (born 1929) * 19 July – Ray Bell, rugby union player (born 1925) * 20 July ** Dick Corballis, English literature academic (born 1946) ** Ray Moreton, rugby union player (born 1942) * 21 July – Sid Hurst, farmer (born 1918) * 22 July –

Lee Grant Lee Grant (born Lyova Haskell Rosenthal; October 31, during the mid-1920s) is an American actress, documentarian, and director. She made her film debut in 1951 as a young shoplifter in William Wyler's '' Detective Story'', co-starring Kirk Doug ...

, actor, singer, choreographer (born 1931) * 25 July – Tony Lentino, motor racing team owner (born 1974) * 26 July – Henry Connor, botanist (born 1922)

August

* 2 August –

Terence Bayler Terence Bayler (24 January 1930 – 2 August 2016) was a New Zealand film, television, and stage actor. His most memorable roles were in ''Monty Python's Life of Brian'' (1979) and ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' (2001). Biography ...

, actor (born 1930) * 3 August –

Chris Amon Christopher Arthur Amon (20 July 1943 – 3 August 2016) was a New Zealand motor racing driver. He was active in Formula One racing in the 1960s and 1970s, and is widely regarded as one of the best F1 drivers never to win a championship Grand ...

, motor racing driver (born 1943) * 5 August – Don Donnithorne, architect (born 1926) * 7 August – Sir Ron Scott, sports administrator (born 1928) * 11 August – Sir

Ian Turbott Sir Ian Graham Turbott (9 March 1922 – 11 August 2016) was a New Zealand-Australian diplomat and university administrator. Early life and education Turbott was born in Whangārei, New Zealand, and attended Takapuna Grammar School. He later stud ...

, diplomat, university administrator (born 1922) * 19 August – Bob Skelton, jockey (born 1934) * 22 August – Don McIver, military leader, public servant (born 1936) * 24 August –

Glen Evans Thomas Glendwr Gardner "Glen" Evans (22 April 1936 – 24 August 2016) was a New Zealand politician. He served as the mayor of Lower Hutt from 1986 to 1995. Biography Early life and family Born in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England, on 22 April 1 ...

, politician, mayor of Lower Hutt (1986–95) (born 1936) * 29 August – Edward Latter, military officer, politician, diplomat (born 1928) * 30 August – Brian Robinson, inorganic chemist (born 1940)

September

* 1 September – Sir Graeme Douglas, businessman, pharmacist, philanthropist (born 1929) * 4 September –

Ross McPherson Ross James McPherson (24 October 1938 – 4 September 2016) was a field hockey goalkeeper from New Zealand. He represented New Zealand at two Olympic Games, 1968 and 1972. He also played first-class cricket for Northern Districts in the Plu ...

, field hockey player, cricketer (born 1938) * 7 September – Don "D. J." Cameron, sports journalist (born 1933) * 11 September –

Let's Elope Let's Elope (20 November 1987 – 11 September 2016) was a Champion Thoroughbred racehorse in Australia. Background Bred by Highview Stud in Hamilton, New Zealand, Let's Elope was a giant chestnut mare who in 1991 became the first ma ...

, Thoroughbred racehorse (foaled 1987) * 16 September – Reese Griffiths, rugby league player (born 1937) * 19 September – Margaret Baird, immunologist (born 1945) * 23 September :* Arnold Green, rugby league player (born 1933) :* Bill Johnson, actor (born 1924)

October

* 1 October **

Brian Bell Brian Lane Bell (born December 9, 1968) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, backing vocalist, and occasional lead vocalist of the rock band Weezer, with whom he has recorded f ...

, ornithologist (born 1930) ** Toni Williams, singer (born 1939) * 3 October – David Donald, cricketer (born 1933) * 4 October – Peggy Hay, designer (born 1924) * 14 October ** Avis Higgs, textile designer, painter (born 1918) ** Helen Kelly, trade unionist (born 1964) * 15 October ** Doug Anderson, rugby league player (born 1926) **

Octagonal In geometry, an octagon (from the Greek ὀκτάγωνον ''oktágōnon'', "eight angles") is an eight-sided polygon or 8-gon. A '' regular octagon'' has Schläfli symbol and can also be constructed as a quasiregular truncated square, t ...

, Thoroughbred racehorse (foaled 1992) * 21 October –

Wally Argus Walter Garland Argus (29 May 1921 – 21 October 2016) was a New Zealand rugby union player who played 10 matches including four tests for the national team. From 16 November 2012 until his death he was the oldest living All Black. Early life ...

, rugby union player (born 1921) * 24 October –

Roger Slack Charles Roger Slack (22 April 1937 – 24 October 2016) was a British-born plant biologist and biochemist who lived and worked in Australia (1962–1970) and New Zealand (1970–2000). In 1966, jointly with Marshall Hatch, he discovered C4 phot ...

, plant biologist and biochemist (born 1937) * 29 October – Tom Weal, politician (born 1929) * 30 October –

Reg Boorman Reginald George Boorman (6 February 1935 – 30 October 2016) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. Early life and family Boorman served in the Malayan Emergency in 1957 with the New Zealand Army. His first marriage was to Carol ...

, politician (born 1935)

November

* 11 November – Sir

James McNeish Sir James Henry Peter McNeish (23 October 1931 – 11 November 2016) was a New Zealand novelist, playwright and biographer. Biography McNeish attended Auckland Grammar School and graduated from Auckland University College with a degree in lang ...

, writer (born 1931) * 13 November – Leslie Kenton, journalist, entrepreneur (born 1941) * 14 November –

Marti Friedlander Martha Friedlander (; 19 February 1928 – 14 November 2016) was a British-New Zealand photographer. She emigrated to New Zealand in 1958, where she was known for photographing and documenting New Zealand's people, places and events, and was c ...

, photographer (born 1928) * 15 November – Rod Bieleski, plant physiologist (born 1931) * 16 November – Jean Wishart, magazine editor (born 1920) * 20 November ** Mita Mohi, rugby league player, mau rākau and kapa haka exponent, youth worker (born 1939) ** Tim Raphael, Anglican priest (born 1929) * 21 November – Helen Ryburn, school principal, local-body politician (born 1925) * 22 November ** Mike Burgoyne, rugby union player (born 1951) ** Bev Malcolm, netball player (born 1920) * 25 November – Bill Skelton, jockey (born 1931) * 28 November –

Ray Columbus Raymond John Patrick Columbus (4 November 1942 – 29 November 2016) was a New Zealand Benny Award-winning singer and songwriter, television host, music manager and entertainer, with a career spanning six decades. As the lead singer of Ray Colum ...

, entertainer (born 1942) * 29 November – Margaret Belcher, literary scholar (born 1936)

December

* 3 December – Sir

David Hay David Hay (born 29 January 1948) is a Scottish former football player and manager. He broke into the Celtic team in the late 1960s, as one of a generation of players who continued a highly successful era for the club. A contract dispute between ...

, cardiologist, anti-smoking campaigner (born 1927) * 6 December – Elva Bett, artist, art historian, art gallery director (born 1918) * 12 December –

Lord Gyllene Lord Gyllene (10 November 1988 – 12 December 2016) was a New Zealand-bred racehorse whose greatest victory came in the 1997 Grand National at Aintree. He was trained by Steve Brookshaw for owner Sir Stanley Clarke CBE and ridden by Tony ...

, Thoroughbred racehorse (foaled 1988) * 13 December –

Christopher Vance Christopher Vance (5 November 1986 – 13 December 2016) was a Group One-winning New Zealand Standardbred racehorse, trained by Roy and Barry Purdon and generally driven by Barry Purdon or Tony Herlihy. He was the 1991–92 New Zealand Horse of ...

, Standardbred racehorse (foaled 1986) * 14 December – Bunny Walters, singer (born 1953) * 15 December – Richard Dowden, astrophysicist (born 1932) * 18 December – Frank Crotty, rower, industrial chemist (born 1938) * 19 December – Arthur Berry, cricketer (born 1928) * 23 December –

Doug Coombs Doug Coombs (September 24, 1957 – April 3, 2006) was an American alpine skier and mountaineer who helped to pioneer the sport of extreme skiing, both in North America and worldwide. Early life and education Coombs was born in Boston and g ...

, cricketer, geologist (born 1924) * 24 December – Ron Broom, cricketer (born 1925) * 25 December – John Gregson, George Cross recipient (born 1924) * 30 December – Con Linton, sailor (born 1938)

References

{{Year in Oceania, 2016 2010s in New Zealand Years of the 21st century in New Zealand