# 1988 in New Zealand

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive
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.

## Incumbents
### 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.
* 5 September – Telecom extends mobile phone service to Christchurch.
* 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

### Music
#### 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. Archived 22 February 2006 at the Wayback Machine
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

## Sport
### 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).

### Horse racing
#### Harness racing

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

### Olympic Games
#### Summer Olympics

* New Zealand sends a team of 83 competitors in 16 sports.
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 3 | 2 | 8 | 13 |

#### Winter Olympics

* New Zealand sends a team of nine competitors across three sports.
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### Paralympic Games
#### Summer Paralympics

| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 2 | 4 | 11 | 17 |

#### Winter Paralympics

* New Zealand sends a team of three competitors in one sport.
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |

### Rugby
#### 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.

#### Union
### 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).

## Births
### 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

## Deaths
### 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)