1988 in New Zealand

The following events occurred in New Zealand in the year 1988.

Population

 * Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,345,200.
 * Increase since 31 December 1987: 3,100 (0.09%).
 * Males per 100 females: 97.3.

Regal and viceregal

 * Head of State – Elizabeth II
 * Governor-General – The Rt Revd. Sir Paul Reeves GCMG GCVO QSO

Government
The 42nd New Zealand Parliament continued. The fourth Labour Party government was in power.
 * Speaker of the House – Kerry Burke
 * Prime Minister – David Lange
 * Deputy Prime Minister – Geoffrey Palmer
 * Minister of Finance – Roger Douglas until 14 December, then David Caygill
 * Minister of Foreign Affairs – Russell Marshall
 * Chief Justice — Sir Ronald Davison

Parliamentary opposition

 * Leader of the Opposition – Jim Bolger (National).

Main centre leaders

 * Mayor of Auckland – Catherine Tizard
 * Mayor of Hamilton – Ross Jansen
 * Mayor of Wellington – Jim Belich
 * Mayor of Christchurch – Hamish Hay
 * Mayor of Dunedin – Cliff Skeggs

Events

 * The number of unemployed reaches 100,000.
 * The Federation of Labour and Combined State Unions merge to form the Council of Trade Unions.
 * New Zealand Post closed 432 post offices.
 * Fisheries quota package announced for Mäori iwi.
 * The Hokitika Guardian and Star ceases publication.
 * 6 February: Waitangi Day celebrations at Waitangi are suspended.
 * 7 March: Cyclone Bola strikes the East Coast of the North Island
 * 30 March: The State Sector Act is passed to reform the Public Service.
 * April: The Royal Commission on Social Policy issues its report.
 * 5 April: Gibbs Report ("Unshackling the Hospitals") released.
 * May: Picot Report on educational administration released.
 * June: The electrification of the North Island Main Trunk railway between Hamilton and Palmerston North is completed.
 * 1 July: The Government announces the return of Bastion Point to its Ngāti Whātua owners.
 * 1 July: Commercial TV goes 7 days a week, except Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day.
 * 17 October: Kmart opens its first store in Henderson, Auckland.

Arts and literature

 * John Dickson wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.

See 1988 in art, 1988 in literature, Category:1988 books

New Zealand Music Awards
Winners are shown first with nominees underneath.
 * ALBUM OF THE YEAR Dave Dobbyn – Loyal
 * Shona Laing – South
 * The Warratahs – Only game in Town
 * SINGLE OF THE YEAR Holidaymakers–Sweet Lovers
 * Dave Dobyyn – Love You Like I Should
 * Tex Pistol / Rikki Morris – Nobody Else
 * BEST MALE VOCALIST Dave Dobbyn
 * Herbs
 * Barry Saunders
 * BEST FEMALE VOCALIST Shona Laing
 * Aishah
 * Annie Crummer
 * BEST GROUP Herbs
 * The Chills
 * The Warratahs
 * MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST Peter Marshall
 * Rikki Morris
 * Thom Nepia
 * MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST Mara Finau
 * Tracey Birnie
 * Helen Mulholland
 * MOST PROMISING GROUP Holidaymakers
 * Straightjacket Fits
 * The Tunnellers
 * INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT Neil Finn
 * The Chills
 * Shona Laing
 * BEST VIDEO Fane Flaws – Sweet Lovers (Holidaymakers)
 * Janine Morell – Haere Mai
 * Paul Middleditch – Nobody Else
 * BEST FILM SOUNDTRACK Dalvanius Prime / Dave Hurley – Poi E
 * Dalvanius / Ginane / Smith – Ngati
 * BEST PRODUCER Nigel Stone–Holidaymakers (Holidaymakers)
 * Tex Pistol – Nobody Else
 * Stephen McCurdy/ Shona Laing/ Graeme Myhre – South
 * BEST ENGINEER Nigel Stone–Holidaymakers (Holidaymakers)
 * Rhys Moody – Brazier'
 * Rhys Moody/ Doug Rogers – Sensation
 * BEST JAZZ ALBUM Beaver – Live at Ronnie Scott's
 * Frank Gibsons Jazz Mobile – Spreading The Word
 * Sustenance – Sustenance 3
 * BEST CLASSICAL ALBUM NZ Symphony Orchestra – Prodigal Country
 * NZ Symphony Orchestra – War and Peace/ Jack Winters Dream
 * BEST FOLK ALBUM Mike Harding – From The Edge
 * Wayne Gillespie – Hearts For
 * David Hollis – With Love
 * BEST COUNTRY ALBUM The Warratahs – Only Game in Town
 * Patsy Riggir – The Best OF (Plus Four)
 * Al Hunter – Jealous Guy
 * BEST GOSPEL ALBUM Derek Lind – Strange Logic
 * Barry McGuire – Sailing Free
 * Stephen Bell Booth – Timeless
 * BEST POLYNESIAN ALBUM Pātea Māori Club – Poi E
 * Kahurangi – Magically Maori
 * Dalvanius Prime/ Patea Maori/ Moana/ Dave Dobbyn Guinney / Kara Pewhairangi – Ngoi Ngoi
 * BEST SONGWRITER Rikki Morris – Nobody Else
 * Hona/ Lundon/ Cassells – Listen
 * Dave Dobbyn – Love You Like I Should
 * BEST COVER Lesley Maclean – Pagan in a Pagan Land
 * John Collie – Bird Dog
 * Susan Pryor – You Don't Need Me

See: 1988 in music

Performing arts

 * Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Alma Woods MBE and Ricky May.

Radio and television

 * 1 December: The Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand is split into Radio New Zealand and Television New Zealand. The Avalon studio becomes a separate subsidiary of TVNZ.

See: 1988 in New Zealand television, 1988 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, Category:Television in New Zealand, TV3 (New Zealand), Category:New Zealand television shows, Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Programme debuts

 * 25 July – Neighbours (Network 2)

Film

 * Illustrious Energy
 * Mauri
 * Send a Gorilla
 * The Grasscutter
 * The Navigator: A Mediaeval Odyssey

See: Category:1988 film awards, 1988 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1988 films

Internet
See: NZ Internet History

Athletics

 * Paul Ballinger wins his third national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:16:05 on 30 April in Rotorua, while Jillian Costley claims her second in the women's championship (2:39:20).

Harness racing

 * New Zealand Trotting Cup: Luxury Liner
 * Auckland Trotting Cup: Luxury Liner – 2nd win

Summer Olympics

 * New Zealand sends a team of 83 competitors in 16 sports.

Winter Olympics

 * New Zealand sends a team of nine competitors across three sports.

Winter Paralympics

 * New Zealand sends a team of three competitors in one sport.

League

 * 17 July – The 1988 Great Britain Lions tour concludes with New Zealand defeating Great Britain in a Test match at Addington Showground, Christchurch before a crowd of 8,525.
 * 9 October – In the 1988 Rugby League World Cup final Australia defeats New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland before a crowd of 47,363.

Shooting

 * Ballinger Belt – John Whiteman (Upper Hutt)

Soccer

 * The Chatham Cup is won by Waikato United who beat Christchurch United on the basis of away goals (2-2 and 1–1 in a two-leg final).

January

 * 2 January – Joseph Paulo, rugby league player
 * 3 January – Steven Kent, swimmer
 * 4 January – Peter Saili, rugby union player
 * 6 January – Esther Lanser, cricketer
 * 11 January – Andre Taylor, rugby union player
 * 12 January – Ben Afeaki, rugby union player
 * 15 January – Riki Hoeata, rugby union player
 * 17 January – Kade Poki, rugby union player
 * 18 January – Andrew Wheeler, basketball player
 * 20 January – Rushlee Buchanan, cyclist
 * 23 January – Shaun Kenny-Dowall, rugby league player

February

 * 1 February – Katie Duncan, association footballer
 * 2 February – Kieron Fonotia, rugby union player
 * 3 February – Daniel O'Regan, rugby league player
 * 7 February – Mataupu Poching, rugby league player
 * 8 February
 * Graham Oberlin-Brown, rower
 * 13 February – Eddy Pettybourne, rugby league player
 * 15 February
 * Sam Anderson-Heather, rugby union player
 * Claire Garrood, cricketer
 * 16 February
 * James Baker, cricketer
 * Sarah Murphy, biathlete
 * 20 February – Troy Garton, boxer
 * 23 February – Ashley Cooper, singer
 * 24 February
 * Levi Hanssen, association footballer
 * Emma Hayman, tennis player
 * 25 February – Lagi Setu, rugby league and rugby union player

March

 * 6 March
 * Marina Erakovic, tennis player
 * Frank Halai, rugby union player
 * 8 March – Hannah Broederlow, netball player
 * 9 March – Ash Moeke, rugby union player
 * 10 March – Josh Hoffman, rugby league player
 * 17 March – Patrick Ah Van, rugby league player
 * 18 March – Grace Rasmussen, netball player
 * 20 March – Sonny Fai, rugby league player
 * 21 March – Anthony Cherrington, rugby league player
 * 23 March – Suaia Matagi, rugby league player
 * 24 March – Matt Todd, rugby union player
 * 30 March – Petrea Webster, field hockey player
 * 31 March – Curtis McGrath, canoeist

April

 * 5 April – Quade Cooper, rugby union player
 * 14 April
 * Francis Mossman, actor
 * Dan Pryor, rugby union player
 * 16 April – Simon Child, field hockey player
 * 18 April
 * Sam Belkin, amateur wrestler
 * Erin Bermingham, cricketer
 * 21 April – Niall Williams, rugby union and touch player
 * 24 April – Junior Tia-Kilifi, rugby league player
 * 25 April – Liam Foran, rugby league player

May

 * 3 May – Brent Renouf, Australian rules footballer
 * 4 May – Westley Gough, cyclist
 * 5 May
 * Jaimee Lovett, canoeist
 * Ant Pedersen, motor racing driver
 * 6 May
 * Evie, professional wrestler
 * Rhys Phillips, cricketer
 * 11 May – Stephen Paea, American football player
 * 13 May – Trent Renata, rugby union player
 * 16 May
 * Marty Kain, cricketer
 * Daniel Quigley, rowing coxswain
 * 17 May – Scott Curry, rugby union player
 * 20 May – Nikki Hamblin, athlete
 * 29 May – Tom Furniss, comedian
 * 30 May – Antonio Winterstein, rugby league player

June

 * 1 June – Natalie Rooney, sports shooter
 * 6 June – Israel Dagg, rugby union player
 * 8 June – Charlotte Kight, netball player
 * 19 June – Grayson Hart, rugby union player
 * 23 June – Nick McLennan, rugby union player
 * 24 June – Ryan Sissons, triathlete
 * 25 June – Eliana Rubashkyn, transgender refugee
 * 28 June – Alana Millington, field hockey player

July

 * 1 July – Kendra Cocksedge, cricketer and rugby union player
 * 3 July
 * Cole Peverley, association footballer
 * Winston Reid, association footballer
 * 6 July
 * Andrew de Boorder, cricketer
 * Jesse Sergent, cyclist
 * 7 July – Katie Perkins, cricketer
 * 8 July – Mike Harris, rugby union player
 * 10 July – Sarah Walker, BMX rider
 * 11 July – Paula Griffin, netball player
 * 13 July – Robbie Fruean, rugby union player
 * 16 July – Lyndon Sheehan, freestyle skier
 * 18 July – Andrew Horrell, rugby union player
 * 20 July – B. J. Anthony, basketball player
 * 21 July – Julian Matthews, athlete
 * 26 July
 * Derek Carpenter, rugby union player
 * Tetera Faulkner, rugby union player
 * 27 July – John Hardie, rugby union player
 * 31 July
 * Alex Glenn, rugby league player
 * Brackin Karauria-Henry, rugby union player

August

 * 1 August
 * Tim Perry, rugby union player
 * Bodene Thompson, rugby league player
 * 6 August – Kayla McAlister, netball and rugby union player
 * 8 August – Brad Cachopa, cricketer
 * 12 August – Suliasi Taufalele, rugby union player
 * 14 August – Dave Thomas, rugby union player
 * 15 August – Nasi Manu, rugby union player
 * 18 August – Michael Boxall, association footballer
 * 22 August – Sarah Major, actor
 * 24 August
 * Cathryn Finlayson, field hockey player
 * Manu Maʻu, rugby league player
 * 28 August – Kane Hames, rugby union player
 * 29 August
 * Fritz Lee, rugby union player
 * Lewis Marshall, rugby union player

September

 * 1 September – Ash Dixon, rugby union player
 * 4 September – David Eade, rower
 * 5 September – Jackson Willison, rugby union player
 * 7 September – Tevita Koloamatangi, rugby union player
 * 14 September
 * Callum Gibbins, rugby union player
 * Sean Maitland, rugby union player
 * 16 September – Nathaniel Neale, rugby league player
 * 17 September – Michael Fitzgerald, association footballer
 * 18 September – Joe Moody, rugby union player
 * 19 September – Rebecca Spence, triathlete
 * 22 September – Jeet Raval, cricketer
 * 23 September
 * Hayley Crofts, netball player
 * Ryan Crotty, rugby union player
 * 25 September
 * Quentin MacDonald, rugby union player
 * Josh Rowland, rugby union player
 * 30 September – Joelle King, squash player

October

 * 3 October – Helen Collins, association footballer
 * 4 October – Mitchey Greig, freestyle skier
 * 5 October – Luke Braid, rugby union player
 * 7 October
 * Kurt Baker, rugby union player
 * Michael Leitch, rugby union player
 * 10 October – Rose McIver, actor
 * 12 October – Sam Whitelock, rugby union player
 * 14 October – Terefe Ejigu, athlete
 * 16 October
 * Fiona Bourke, rower
 * Karl Filiga, rugby league player
 * 18 October – Luuka Jones, slalom canoeist
 * 19 October – Naturalism, Thoroughbred racehorse
 * 27 October – Rodney Ah You, rugby union player
 * 29 October
 * Roman Van Uden, cyclist
 * Kayne Vincent, association footballer

November

 * 1 November
 * Nick Barrett, rugby union player
 * Hamish Carson, athlete
 * 4 November – Paea Faʻanunu, rugby union player
 * 8 November – Shaun Teasdale, archer
 * 10 November
 * Lord Gyllene, Thoroughbred racehorse
 * Jeremy Su'a, rugby union player
 * 14 November – Mitchell Crosswell, rugby union player
 * 18 November – Lucy Oliver, athlete
 * 20 November – Vicky Rodewyk, actor, model and dancer
 * 21 November – Aaron Smith, rugby union player
 * 22 November – Tu'u Maori, rugby league player
 * 23 November – Tony Goodin, cricketer
 * 25 November – Mat Luamanu, rugby union player
 * 28 November
 * Daniel Kirkpatrick, rugby union player
 * Nic Mayhew, rugby union player
 * Christy Prior, snowboarder
 * 29 November – Corey Webster, basketball player
 * 30 November – Edward Purcell, rugby league player

December

 * 1 December – Taione Vea, rugby union player
 * 7 December – James Marshall, rugby union player
 * 8 December – Simon van Velthooven, cyclist
 * 11 December – Tim Southee, cricketer
 * 12 December – Isaac John, rugby league player
 * 13 December – James Tamou, rugby league player
 * 16 December – Robin Cheong, taekwando competitor
 * 17 December – Steve Rapira, rugby league player

Exact date unknown

 * Eli Kent, playwright and actor
 * Sam McCarthy, songwriter and musician

January–February

 * 2 January – Bill Crawford-Compton, World War II air ace, air force commander (born 1915)
 * 10 January – Ron King, rugby union player and selector (born 1909)
 * 11 January – Arthur Collins, rugby union player (born 1906)
 * 9 February – Zelma Roberts, writer (born 1915)
 * 17 February – Reginald Uren, architect (born 1906)
 * 23 February – Charlie Jackman, cricketer (born 1906)
 * 29 February – Sister Mary Gabriel, nun, pharmacist (born 1904)

March–April

 * 16 March – Harold Turbott, medical practitioner, public health administrator, broadcaster and writer (born 1899)
 * 23 March – Cyril Walter, cricketer, field hockey player and coach, sports writer (born 1912)
 * 30 March – Sir Donald McKay, politician (born 1908)
 * 7 April – Christopher Rollinson, boxer (born 1928)
 * 16 April – Doug Mudgway, amateur wrestler (born 1924)
 * 17 April – Ormond Wilson, politician (born 1907)

May–June

 * 9 May – Robert Alexander, cricketer (born 1911)
 * 14 May – Fred Atkins, professional wrestler (born 1910)
 * 22 May – Leslie Stephen-Smith, cricketer (born 1904)
 * 24 May – Tom Burtt, cricketer (born 1915)
 * 26 May – Neta Neale, theatre director, speech and drama teacher (born 1904)
 * 27 May – Alwyn Warren, Anglican bishop, university chancellor (born 1900)
 * 28 May – Evelyn Page, artist (born 1899)
 * 1 June – Ricky May, musician (born 1943)
 * 3 June – Christabel Robinson, vocational guidance and community worker (born 1898)
 * 4 June – Elizabeth Turnbull, woollen mill worker (born 1885)
 * 5 June – Brian Ashby, Roman Catholic bishop (born 1923)
 * 17 June – Cyril Crawford, cricketer (born 1902)
 * 24 June
 * Alexander Astor, rabbi, community leader (born 1900)
 * Anthony Rohrs, cricketer (born 1961)
 * 25 June – Neville Pickering, politician, mayor of Christchurch (1971–74) (born 1923)
 * 30 June – Hubert Ryburn, university administrator (born 1897)

July–August

 * 8 July – Enga Washbourn, artist and writer (born 1908)
 * 12 July – Robert Monteith, cricket umpire (born 1937)
 * 18 July – Ralph Bulmer, ethnobiologist (born 1928)
 * 21 July – Dame Cecily Pickerill, plastic surgeon (born 1903)
 * 24 July – May Smith, painter, engraver, textile designer (born 1906)
 * 1 August – G. S. Carter, surveyor and road engineer (born 1910)
 * 4 August – Brian Brake, photographer (born 1927)
 * 5 August – Nora Sipos, humanitarian and welfare worker (born 1900)
 * 28 August – Paul Whitelaw, cricketer (born 1910)
 * 30 August – Sir Jack Marshall, politician, 28th Prime Minister of New Zealand (born 1912)
 * 31 August – Ivan Tomašević, political activist (born 1897)

September–October

 * 4 September – Rona Stevenson, politician (born 1911)
 * 6 September – Mary Martin, netball player (born 1915)
 * 11 September – Bernard Holman, artist (born 1941)
 * 13 September – Ron Rangi, rugby union player (born 1941)
 * 17 September – Jim Watt, rugby union player, paediatrics academic (born 1914)
 * 9 October – Bob Goslin, boxer (born 1927)
 * 31 October – Gwen Somerset, teacher, adult education director, educationalist, writer (born 1894)

November–December

 * 1 November – Louis Johnson, poet (born 1924)
 * 4 November – Saul Goldsmith, political candidate (born 1911)
 * 7 November
 * Aubrey Begg, politician (born 1929)
 * Sir Douglas Carter, politician (born 1908)
 * 12 November – Pat Perrin, potter (born 1921)
 * 28 November – Robert Stewart, sailor (born 1906)
 * 29 November – Thomas Lemin, cricketer (born 1905)
 * 5 December – Monica McKenzie, dietitian (born 1905)
 * 8 December
 * Airini Grennell, singer, pianist, broadcaster (born 1910)
 * Sir Andrew McKee, air force leader (born 1902)
 * 10 December – Beau Cottrell, rugby union player, Rotarian (born 1907)
 * 16 December – John Cameron, cricketer (born 1898)
 * 21 December
 * Bruce Ferguson, army officer (born 1917)
 * Charlie Peek, child welfare administrator, billiards player (born 1904)
 * 27 December – William Fea, rugby union and squash player (born 1898)