1990 in New Zealand

New Zealand celebrated its sesquicentennial, 150 years since the signing of The Treaty of Waitangi.

In the general election in October, National was elected in a landside victory.

GDP was $40.2 billion, unemployment was at 7.4% (March) and the exchange rate was 1 NZ$ per US$ 1.6750. This year New Zealand produced 8,000 million kWh of electricity.

Population

* Estimated Population as of 31 December: 3,410,400 cite web
url=http://www.stats.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/24107FC8-E7B5-4CF2-B17C-15E31CCA7D05/0/HistoricalPop.xls
title=Estimated Population: By Sex (1926-2007)
publisher=New Zealand's official statistics agency
format=XLS
accessdate=2008-09-06]
* Increase since 31/12/1989: 40,600 (1.20%)
* Males per 100 Females: 97.3

Incumbents

Regal and Vice Regal

*Head of State - Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand
*Governor-General - The Rt Rev & The Hon Sir Paul Alfred Reeves, GCMG, GCVO, QSO followed by The Hon Dame Catherine Anne Tizard, GCMG, GCVO, DBE, QSO [ [http://www.gg.govt.nz/gg/former.htm] ]

Government

The 42nd New Zealand Parliament continued, until the General election, held 27 October. The governing Labour Party was defeated. and The National Party, led by Jim Bolger, formed the new government.

*Speaker of the House - Kerry Burke then Robin Gray
*Prime Minister - Geoffrey Palmer then Mike Moore then Jim Bolger
*Deputy Prime Minister - Helen Clark then Don McKinnon
*Minister of Finance - David Caygill then Ruth Richardson
*Minister of Foreign Affairs - Russell Marshall then Mike Moore then Don McKinnon

Parliamentary opposition

* Leader of the Opposition - Jim Bolger (National), until 2 November, then Mike Moore (Labour) . [Cite web|url=http://www.elections.org.nz/democracy/leaders-opposition.html|title=Elections NZ — Leaders of the Opposition|accessdate=2008-04-06]
*NewLabour Party - Jim Anderton (after the 2 November General election)

Main centre leaders

*Mayor of Auckland - Catherine Tizard then Les Mills
*Mayor of Hamilton - Margaret Evans
*Mayor of Wellington - James Belich
*Mayor of Christchurch - Vicki Buck
*Mayor of Dunedin - Richard Walls

Events

unknown

* Telecom sold for $ 4.25 billion.
* New Zealand Bill of Rights Act passed
* The Tongariro National Park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list for its natural values.
*Creation of Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site
* The Royal New Zealand Navy tanker HMNZS Endeavour and the frigates HMNZS Wellington and HMNZS Waikato were deployed to Bougainville as a neutral venue for peace talks between the government of Papua New Guinea and secessionist leaders of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army.
* New Zealand ratifies the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
* New Zealand and the Netherlands signed a reciprocal Social Security Agreement in October 1990, which came into effect in 1992.
*Banning of wood chip exports.
*Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is formed.
*Establishment of the Forest Heritage Fund (later renamed "Nature Heritage Fund").
*Ministry for the Environment Green Ribbon Award established

January

* 24th January: Commonwealth Games are officially opened by Prince Edward in Auckland.

February

* 1st- 16th February: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of New Zealand visits.
* 3rd February: Commonwealth Games are officially closed by Queen Elizabeth II in Auckland, with New Zealand winning 58 medals,
*6th February: New Zealand celebrates its sesquicentennial.

March

*1st March - Royal New Zealand Navy discontinues the daily rum ration.

April

* 30 April: One and two cent coins are withdrawn from legal tender.

May

* 13th May: 6.2 Magnitude Earthquake in Hawke's Bay.

June

July

* 1st July: Tariffs were eliminated between Australia and New Zealand under the Closer Economic Relations agreement. This was five years ahead of schedule

August

eptember

* 4th September: Geoffrey Palmer: resigns as Prime Minister and is replaced by Mike Moore.

October

*1st October: The Health Research Council of New Zealand is formed.
*27th October - New Zealand general election returns National with record number of seats - 67; Labour 29, NewLabour 1
*27th October: Referendum to increase Parliamentary term from three to four years defeated: 30.7% For, 69.3% Against.

November

* 2nd November:Jim Bolger becomes Prime Minister.
* 2nd November: Don McKinnon becomes Deputy Prime Minister
* 2 November: Ruth Richardson became the first woman Minister of Finance.
* 13th November: David Gray, an Aramoana resident, began a 34-hour shooting spree that left 13 people dead.

December

* Government announces $ 1.275 Billion worth of social welfare cuts.
* 12th December: Dame Catherine Tizard becomes first woman Governor-General of New Zealand.

Arts and literature

*David Eggleton wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.

See 1990 in art, 1990 in literature,

Music

*New Zealand Music Awards
**Album of the Year: The Chills – Submarine Bells
**Single of the Year: The Chills – Heavenly Pop Hit
**Top Male Vocalist: Barry Saunders
**Top Female Vocalist: Margaret Urlich
**Top Group: The Chills
**Most Promising Male Vocalist: Guy Wishart
**Most Promising Female Vocalist: Merenia
**Most Promising Group: Strawpeople
**International Achievement: Fan Club
**Best Video: Niki Caro - Bad Note For A Heart (Straitjacket Fits)
**Best Producer: Ian Morris - Heartbroke
**Best Engineer: Strawpeople – Hemisphere
**Best Jazz Album: No Award
**Best Classical Album: Dame Kiri Te Kanawa / Nszo — Kiri's Homecoming
**Best Country Album: The Warratahs - Wild Card
**Best Folk Album: Rua — Commonwealth Suite
**Best Gospel Album: Cecily Phio — Light In The Darkness
**Best Polynesian Album: Herbs – Homegrown
**Best Songwriter: Martin Phillips — Heavenly Pop Hit (The Chills)
**Best Cover: John Collie – Melt (Straitjacket Fits)
**Outstanding Contribution To The Music Industry: Murdoch Riley

Radio and Television

*January 1: Avalon becomes a separate limited liability company.
*February 5: The Auckland Television Centre is opened by Queen Elizabeth II.
*May: TV3 goes into receivership but continues broadcasting.
*May: Sky Television launches with three channels.
*May: CTV takes over TVNZ's Christchurch assets. [http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz/pdf/tvnz_timeline.pdf]

See: 1990 in New Zealand television, 1990 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, , TV3 (New Zealand), , Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

*An Angel at My Table
*Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree
*Meet the Feebles
*Ruby and Rata

See: , 1990 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand,

Literature

Once Were Warriors published.

Appointments and awards

Penny Jamieson, Anglican Bishop of Dunedin, was ordained the first women Diocesan bishop in the world.

port

*New Zealand sent...athletes to the 1990 Commonwealth Games, held in Auckland. New Zealand won 17 Gold, 14 Silver and 27 Bronze.

Athletics

* Tom Birnie wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:17:33 on March 3 in New Plymouth, while Jillian Costley claims her third in the women's championship (2:36:43).

New Zealand Cricket

*State Championship, won by Auckland.

Golf

New Zealand Open championship, held at the , was won by

=Hockey=

Netball

Racing

*Auckland Cup: Miss Stanima.
*Wellington Cup:
*New Zealand Derby:

Shooting

Rowing

Rugby union

* Ranfurly Shield
**Retained by Auckland.
***Auckland beat King Country 58-3 in Auckland.
***Auckland beat Poverty Bay 42-3 in Gisborne.
***Auckland beat Southland 78-7 in Auckland.
***Auckland beat Otago 45-9 in Auckland
***Auckland beat North Auckland 41-21 in Auckland
***Auckland beat North Harbour 18-9 in Auckland
***Auckland beat Canterbury 33-30 in Auckland
* All Blacks.
**16 June: The All Blacks beat Scotland 31 - 16 at Carisbrook.
**23 June: The All Blacks beat Scotland 21 - 18 at Eden Park.
** 21 July: The All Blacks beat Australia 21 - 6 at Lancaster Park.
**4 August: The All Blacks beat Australia 21-18 at Eden Park.
**18 August: The All Blacks lose to Australia 9 - 21 at Athletic Park.
** 3 November:The All Blacks beat France 24-3 at Stade de la Beaujoire.
** 10 November: The All Blacks beat France 30-12 at Parc des Princes.

Rugby league

=Squash=

*Dame Susan Devoy wins the World Championship beating Martine Le Moignan 9-4, 9-4, 9-4.

Soccer (Football)

*Chatham Cup: Mount Wellington (Auckland)
*New Zealand National Soccer League: Waitakere City

Tennis

Births

* 19 February: Costa Barbarouses, soccer player.
* 24 March: Keisha Castle-Hughes, actor.

Deaths

* 7 January: Esther James, fashion model [ [http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/Essay_Body.asp?PersonEssay=4J2 Esther James at DNZB] ]
* March: Joan Faulkner-Blake, broadcaster.
* 16 August: Pat O'Connor, professional wrestler. [ [http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/Essay_Body.asp?PersonEssay=5O2 Pat O'Connor at DNZB] ]

* Brett Austin, swimmer.
* Ernest Duncan, mathematician.

References

ee also

*List of years in New Zealand
*Timeline of New Zealand history
*History of New Zealand
*Military history of New Zealand
*Timeline of environmental history of New Zealand
*Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica

"For world events and topics in 1990 not specifically related to New Zealand see": 1990