# 1986 in New Zealand

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive
The following lists events that happened during 1986 in New Zealand.

## Population

* Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,313,500.
* Increase since 31 December 1985: 10,400 (0.31%).
* Males per 100 Females: 97.9.

## Incumbents
### Regal and viceregal

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

### Government

The 41st New Zealand Parliament continued. The fourth Labour Party government was in power.
* Speaker of the House – Gerard Wall
* Prime Minister – David Lange
* Deputy Prime Minister – Geoffrey Palmer
* Minister of Finance – Roger Douglas
* Minister of Foreign Affairs – David Lange
* Chief Justice – Sir Ronald Davison

### Parliamentary opposition

* Leader of the Opposition – Jim McLay (National) until 26 March, then Jim Bolger (National).

### Main centre leaders

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

## Events

* 16 February – Soviet cruise ship Mikhail Lermontov sinks in the Marlborough Sounds.
* 22 February–2 March – The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visit New Zealand.
* 26 March – Jim Bolger replaces Jim McLay as leader of the National Party.
* 11 April – The Plaza Shopping Centre in Palmerston North, then known as the PDC Plaza, is officially opened by Prime Minister David Lange.
* 21 June – The Wanganui Herald publishes its last issue. The paper started in 1865 as The Evening Herald.
* July – The national speed limit is increased from 80km/h to 100km/h.
* 9 July – Parliament passes the Homosexual Law Reform Bill, 49 votes to 44; the law comes into effect on 8 August.
* October – The Quota Management System is introduced.
* 1 October – GST is introduced at a rate of 10%.
* 22 November – Pope John Paul II visits New Zealand for two days.
* December – The Royal Commission on the Electoral System produces a report recommending the adoption of a mixed member proportional electoral system.
* 13 December – The Constitution Act is passed, ending the right of the British Parliament to pass laws on behalf of New Zealand.
* 16 December – Māori loan affair raised by Winston Peters in Parliament.

## Arts and literature

* Cilla McQueen wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.
See 1986 in art, 1986 in literature, Category:1986 books

### Music
#### New Zealand Music Awards

Winners are shown first with nominees underneath.
* ALBUM OF THE YEAR Peking Man – Peking Man
** The Verlaines – Halleujah
** Patsy Riggir – Patsy Riggir Country
* SINGLE OF THE YEAR Peking Man – "Room That Echoes"
** Ardijah – Give Me Your Number
** Patea Maori Club featuring Dalvanius – E Papa
* BEST MALE VOCALIST Pat Urlich
** Malcolm McNeill
** Sonny Day
* BEST FEMALE VOCALIST Margaret Urlich
** Betty Monga
** Annie Crummer
* BEST GROUP Peking Man
** The Patea Maori Group
** Satellite Spies
* MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST Tex Pistol
** Simon Alexandra
** Lyonel Grant
* MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST Tania Rowles
** Ainsley Day
** Liz Diamond
* MOST PROMISING GROUP Ardijah
** Chrome Safari
** Wentworth Brewster & Co
* INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT Herbs
** The Chills
** Michael Roy Croft
* BEST VIDEO Kerry Brown – As The Sun Goes Down (Everything that Flies)
** Stuart Dryborough – Good Luck To You
** Fetus Productions/MEC – Flicker
* BEST PRODUCER Bruce Lynch – Peking Man
** Ryan Monga/ Dave McArtney/ Trevor Reekie – Give Me Your Number (Ardijah)
** Glyn Tucker – I Wish I'd Asked – (Satellite Spies)
* BEST ENGINEER Graeme Myhre – Peking Man
** Ian Morris – Ballad of Buskin Bob
** Paul Streekstra/Graham Myhre – Give Me Your Number
** Graham Myhre – Drive Baby Drive
* BEST JAZZ ALBUM Phil Broadhurst Trio–Iris
** John Niland – Inside
** Alan Broadbent Trio – Further Down The Road
* BEST CLASSICAL ALBUM NZ Symphony Orchestra – A Song of Islands
** Besser & Prosser – Dark Wind/Spring Rain
** Eugene & Nicolai Albulescu – Rhapsody
** Mina Foley / Michael Gifford – Mina Foley / Michael Gifford
* BEST COUNTRY ALBUM Patsy Riggir – Patsy Riggir Country
** Suzanne Prentice – In Concert
** Michael Roy Croft – Slow Burnin'
* BEST FOLK ALBUM Various Artists – Send The Boats Away
** Chris and Lyn Thompson – Together
** Boys of Spirit NZ Trust – Sea Shanties
* BEST GOSPEL ALBUM Samoan Congregational Christian Church Choir – Matou Te Fia Sauna
** Paul and Colleen Trenwith and Friends – Brand New Day
** Ray Watson – Asaph -Throne of Love
* BEST POLYNESIAN ALBUM The Five Stars – Flower of Samoa
** O Savali A Keriso – E Le Mavae Le Alofa
** Mahia Blackmore – Little Tui
* BEST SONG OF THE YEAR Dave Dobbyn – Slice of Heaven
** Ryan Monga – Give Me Your Number
** Dance Exponents – Caroline Skies
* BEST COVER Phil O'Reilly – Peking Man
** Ngila Dickson – As the Sun Goes Down
** Paula & Graham Reid – This Sporting Life
See: 1986 in music

### Performing arts

* Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Johnny Bond.

### Radio and television

* 16 February – Radio U switches to broadcasting on FM, becoming the first FM radio station in Christchurch.
* 31 May – Christchurch's 3ZM switches to broadcasting on FM.
* The State Owned Enterprises Act requires all State-owned enterprises, including Television New Zealand, to operate as commercially successful businesses. Archived 22 February 2006 at the Wayback Machine
See: 1986 in New Zealand television, 1986 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

### Film

* Mark II
* Pallet on the Floor
* Queen City Rocker
See: Category:1986 film awards, 1986 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1986 films

## Sport
### Athletics

* John Campbell wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:15:19 on 1 June in Christchurch, while Sharon Higgins claims her first in the women's championship (2:45:44).

### Commonwealth Games

| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 8 | 16 | 14 | 38 |

### Cricket

* New Zealand achieve historic test series wins over Australia and England.
Their 1–0 victory over Alan Border's Australians in February/March 1986 was their first series win over Australia at home with a 5 wicket win in the third test at Eden Park. This followed on from their 2-1 series win in Australia in November/December 1985, where Richard Hadlee took a record 33 wickets in three tests.
In June/July 1986 New Zealand achieved their first test series win in England, 1-0, winning the second test at Trent Bridge.

### Horse racing
#### Harness racing

* New Zealand Trotting Cup: Master Mood
* Auckland Trotting Cup: Comedy Lad

### Shooting

* Ballinger Belt –
** Mark Buchanan (Australia)
** Chester Burt (Ashhurst), second, top New Zealander

### Soccer

* The Chatham Cup is won by North Shore United who beat Mount Maunganui 4–2 on aggregate in the two-legged final.

## Births

* 2 January: Nathan Cohen, rower, Olympic gold medallist (2012 London)
* 15 January: Isaia Toeava, rugby player.
* 29 January: Steven Broad, singer.
* 31 January: Olli Harder, association football coach and former player
* 13 February: Hamish Bond, rower, Olympic gold medallist (2012 London)
* 17 February: Steven Old, soccer player.
* 4 March: Manu Vatuvei, rugby league player.
* 5 March: Sean Eathorne, cricketer.
* 17 March (in South Africa): Corney Swanepoel, swimmer.
* 4 April: Richard Petherick, field hockey player.
* 20 April: Cameron Duncan, director and screenwriter (d. 2003)
* 21 April (in Australia): Ryan Kersten, basketballer.
* 5 May: Cole Tinkler, soccer player.
* 6 May: Tanerau Latimer, rugby player
* 15 May: Jo Aleh, sailor, Olympic gold medallist (2012 London)
* 4 September: Michael Murphy, singer.
* 16 September: Willie Lonsdale, cricketer.
* 24 September: Todd Astle, cricketer.
* 30 September: Martin Guptill, cricketer.
* 7 October: Amy Satterthwaite, cricketer.
* 14 October: Teresa Bergman, singer.
Category:1986 births

## Deaths

* 25 January: Dennis Smith, cricketer. (born 1913)
* 24 April: Garnet Mackley, businessman and politician. (born 1883)
* 16 May: Joe Bootham, painter. (born 1911)
* 19 May: Leonard Trent, RNZAF pilot and Victoria Cross winner. (born 1915)
* 27 June: George Nēpia, rugby player. (born 1905)
* 10 August: Don McRae, cricketer and soccer player. (born 1914)
* 11 August: Peter Mahon, Queen's Counsel, judge. (born 1923)
* 25 September: Geoff Alley, rugby player, National Librarian. (born 1903)
* 16 October: Harold Beamish, World War I flying ace. (born 1896)