2011 in New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Regal and Vice Regal
- Head of StateHead of StateA head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
- Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of New ZealandMonarchy in New ZealandThe monarchy of New Zealand also referred to as The Crown in Right of New Zealand, Her Majesty in Right of New Zealand, or The Queen in Right of New Zealand is the constitutional system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of the Realm of New Zealand,... - Governor-GeneralGovernor-General of New ZealandThe Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
- The Hon. Sir Anand SatyanandAnand SatyanandSir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO, KStJ was the 19th Governor-General of New Zealand. He previously worked as a lawyer, judge and ombudsman.-Early life and family:...
, PCNZMNew Zealand Order of MeritThe New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
, QSOQueen's Service OrderThe Queen's Service Order was established by Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, awarded by the government of New Zealand "for valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or...
, succeeded by The Hon. Sir Jerry MateparaeJerry MateparaeLieutenant General Sir Jeremiah "Jerry" Mateparae, GNZM, QSO is New Zealand's 20th Governor-General. He was Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force between 2006 and 2011, the first Māori person to hold the office, and the Director of the New Zealand Government Communications Security Bureau from 7...
, GNZMNew Zealand Order of MeritThe New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
, QSOQueen's Service OrderThe Queen's Service Order was established by Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, awarded by the government of New Zealand "for valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or...
Government
2011 will be the third full year of the election of the current (49th) Parliament49th New Zealand Parliament
The 49th New Zealand Parliament was elected at the 2008 election. It consists of 122 members, including an overhang of two seats caused by the Māori Party having won two more electorate seats than its share of the party vote would otherwise have given it. The Parliament will serve from 2008 until...
. A general election
New Zealand general election, 2011
The 2011 New Zealand general election on Saturday 26 November 2011 determined the membership of the 50th New Zealand Parliament.One hundred and twenty-one MPs were elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives, 70 from single-member electorates, including one overhang seat, and 51 from party...
is expected to be held in 2011.
- Speaker of the HouseSpeaker of the New Zealand House of RepresentativesIn New Zealand the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives...
- Lockwood SmithLockwood SmithAlexander Lockwood Smith is a New Zealand politician, the 28th and current Speaker of the House of Representatives. Smith is a member of the New Zealand National Party, who has served as a Member of Parliament since 1984... - Prime MinisterPrime Minister of New ZealandThe Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
- John KeyJohn KeyJohn Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006.... - Deputy Prime MinisterDeputy Prime Minister of New ZealandThe Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand is second most senior officer in the Government of New Zealand, although this seniority does not necessarily translate into power....
- Bill EnglishBill EnglishSimon William "Bill" English is the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister of Infrastructure of New Zealand.English entered parliament in 1990 as a National party MP representing the Wallace electorate... - Minister of FinanceMinister of Finance (New Zealand)The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
- Bill EnglishBill EnglishSimon William "Bill" English is the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister of Infrastructure of New Zealand.English entered parliament in 1990 as a National party MP representing the Wallace electorate... - Minister of Foreign AffairsMinister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand)The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major ministerial portfolio in the government of New Zealand.The current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Murray McCully, who was National Party Spokeperson of Foreign Affairs and Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs. There are also Associate Minister roles...
- Murray McCullyMurray McCullyMurray Stuart McCully is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the National Party, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Minister for the Rugby World Cup.-Early life:...
Other Party Leaders
- LabourNew Zealand Labour PartyThe New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
- Phil GoffPhil GoffPhilip Bruce Goff is the current Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. During the Fifth Labour Government, he served in a number of ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Defence of New Zealand, Minister of Corrections, Minister of Foreign Affairs and...
(Leader of the OppositionLeader of the Opposition (New Zealand)The Leader of the Opposition in New Zealand is the politician who, at least in theory, commands the support of the non-government bloc of members in the New Zealand Parliament. In the debating chamber the Leader of the Opposition sits directly opposite the Prime Minister...
) - ACT - Rodney HideRodney HideRodney Hide is a New Zealand politician who was leader of the political party ACT New Zealand from 2004 to 2011. From 2005 to 2011 he represented the electorate of Epsom as its Member of Parliament. Rodney Hide was Minister of Local Government, Associate Minister of Commerce and Minister of...
until 30 April, Don BrashDon BrashDonald "Don" Thomas Brash , a New Zealand politician, was Leader of the Opposition, parliamentary leader of the National Party from 28 October 2003 to 27 November 2006 and the leader of the ACT Party for 28th April 2011 - 26 November 2011...
from 30 April (John BoscawenJohn BoscawenJohn Boscawen is an ACT New Zealand member of the New Zealand House of Representatives and as of May 2011, ACT's Parliamentary Leader and former Minister of Consumer Affairs of New Zealand. He came to parliament in the 2008 general election as a list MP, having been ranked fourth...
parliamentary leader from 30 April) - GreenGreen Party of Aotearoa New ZealandThe Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a political party that has seats in the New Zealand parliament. It focuses firstly on environmentalism, arguing that all other aspects of humanity will cease to be of concern if there is no environment to sustain it...
- Metiria TureiMetiria TureiMetiria Leanne Agnes Stanton Turei is a New Zealand member of Parliament and the female co-leader of the Green Party. she is the Green Party spokesperson on Social Equity, Electoral Reform, Māori and Treaty Issues, Housing and Children....
and Russel NormanRussel NormanDr Russel William Norman is a New Zealand politician and environmentalist. He is a Member of Parliament and co-leader of the Green Party alongside Metiria Turei.- Early life :... - Māori PartyMaori PartyThe Māori Party, a political party in New Zealand, was formed on 7 July 2004. The Party is guided by eight constitutional "kaupapa", or Party objectives. Tariana Turia formed the Māori Party after resigning from the Labour Party where she had been a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour-led...
- Tariana TuriaTariana TuriaTariana Turia is a New Zealand politician. She gained considerable prominence during the foreshore and seabed controversy, and eventually broke with her party as a result...
and Pita SharplesPita SharplesPita Russell Sharples, CBE, , a Māori academic and politician, currently co-leads the Māori Party. He currently is the member for Tamaki Makaurau in New Zealand's Parliament.-Early life:...
Main centre leaders
- Mayor of AucklandMayor of AucklandThe Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland region in New Zealand...
- Len BrownLen BrownLen Brown is the Mayor of Auckland in New Zealand and the 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 November 2010, being the first to hold that title for the amalgamated Auckland 'Super City'... - Mayor of TaurangaMayor of TaurangaThe Mayor of Tauranga is the head of the municipal government of Tauranga, New Zealand, and presides over the Tauranga City Council. The Mayor is directly elected, using the First Past the Post system in 2007....
- Stuart CrosbyStuart CrosbyStuart Crosby is the current Mayor of the city of Tauranga, New Zealand.He officially assumed office on 9 October 2004, and has been re-elected to mayor and has served two terms.-References:... - Mayor of HamiltonMayor of Hamilton, New ZealandThe Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand is the head of the municipal government of Hamilton, New Zealand, and presides over the Hamilton City Council.In the 2010 Local Government elections, Julie Hardaker was elected as mayor, defeating incumbent Bob Simcock....
- Julie HardakerJulie HardakerJulie Hardaker is the Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand. 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 McCaw Lewis Chapman and eventually became a partner and held senior management roles. She... - Mayor of WellingtonMayor of WellingtonThe Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of Wellington, New Zealand, and presides over the Wellington City Council. The Mayor of Wellington administers only Wellington City itself — other municipalities in adjacent areas of the Wellington Region such as Lower Hutt, Upper...
- Celia Wade-BrownCelia Wade-BrownCelia Wade-Brown is the 34th and current Mayor of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. She is the third woman to fill that role, replacing centre-right Kerry Prendergast. She is the second Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand mayor of a major New Zealand city, after Dunedin's Sukhi Turner... - Mayor of ChristchurchMayor of ChristchurchThe 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...
- Bob Parker - Mayor of DunedinMayor of DunedinThe Mayor of Dunedin is the head of the municipal government of Dunedin, New Zealand, and presides over the Dunedin City Council. The Mayor is directly elected, using the Single Transferable Vote system in 2007....
- Dave CullDave CullDavid Charles "Dave" Cull, QSO JP is the mayor of the city of Dunedin in New Zealand. He became the 57th Mayor of Dunedin in October 2010.-Early life and career before politics:...
February
- 22 February – A 6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, causing major damage to the city and killing 181 people. - 23 February – Prime Minister John Key declares a national state of emergencyState of emergencyA state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
following the Christchurch earthquake, the first national state of emergency in 60 years.
March
- 5 March – A by-electionBotany by-election, 2011A by-election was held in the New Zealand electorate of Botany on 5 March 2011. The seat was vacated by former National Ethnic Affairs Minister Pansy Wong, who announced her resignation from the New Zealand Parliament on 14 December 2010 following allegations her husband Sammy has misused taxpayer...
is held in the Botany electorate and won by Jami-Lee RossJami-Lee RossJami-Lee Ross is a New Zealand National Party Member of Parliament for Botany, having won the 2011 Botany by-election on 5 March.-Early life:...
of the National PartyNew Zealand National PartyThe New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
. - 8 March – Five-yearly New Zealand Census was scheduled but cancelled due to the effects of the Christchurch earthquake.
- 18 March – A memorial service for the victims of the Christchurch earthquake is held at Hagley ParkHagley ParkHagley Park is the largest urban open space in Christchurch, New Zealand, and was created in 1855 by the Provincial Government. According to the government's decree at that time, Hagley Park is "reserved forever as a public park, and shall be open for the recreation and enjoyment of the public."...
, attended by Prince William on behalf of the Queen of New Zealand. - 24 March – New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversyNew Zealand foreshore and seabed controversyThe New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy is a debate in the politics of New Zealand. It concerns the ownership of the country's foreshore and seabed, with many Māori groups claiming that Māori have a rightful claim to title. These claims are based around historical possession and the Treaty...
: The Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) BillMarine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011The Marine and Coastal Area Act 2011 is an Act of the Parliament of New Zealand created to replace the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004.-Features of the Act:The Marine and Coastal Area Bill:* Guarantees free public access....
, an act to replace the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004The Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004 is Act of the Parliament of New Zealand. It arose out of, and further fueled, the New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy.It was replaced by the Marine and Coastal Area Bill.-External links:*...
, passes its third reading in Parliament.
April
- 30 April – The national state of emergency put into place after the 22 February Christchurch earthquake is lifted.
May
- 3 May – A tornado hits the suburb of AlbanyAlbany, New ZealandAlbany is a northern suburb of Auckland, one of the several cities in northern New Zealand. The name derives from Alba and its Latinisation. It is located to the north of the Waitemata Harbour, 15 kilometres northwest of the Auckland city centre. The suburb is in the Albany ward, one of the...
in northern Auckland, killing one and causing property damage. - 19 May – Minister of FinanceMinister of Finance (New Zealand)The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....
Bill EnglishBill EnglishSimon William "Bill" English is the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister of Infrastructure of New Zealand.English entered parliament in 1990 as a National party MP representing the Wallace electorate...
delivers the "Zero Budget", an atypical election year government budgetGovernment budgetA government budget is a legal document that is often passed by the legislature, and approved by the chief executive-or president. For example, only certain types of revenue may be imposed and collected...
which plans $1.2b worth of spending cuts over the next four years.
June
- 13 June – A magnitude 6.3 earthquake aftershockJune 2011 Christchurch earthquakeThe June 2011 Christchurch earthquake was a shallow magnitude 6.3 ML earthquake that occurred on 13 June 2011 at 14:20 NZST . It was centred at a depth of 6.0 km , about 13 km from Christchurch, which had previously been devastated by the February 2011 magnitude 6.3 ML earthquake...
strikes Christchurch, causing additional earthquake damage to the city. - 16-26 June – Ash from the Puyehue-Cordón CaullePuyehue-Cordón CaullePuyehue and Cordón Caulle are two coalesced volcanic edifices that form a major mountain massif in Puyehue National Park in the Andes of Ranco Province, Chile. In volcanology this group is known as the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle Volcanic Complex...
volcano in ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
causes widespread disruption to flights across New Zealand. - 21 June – An emperor penguinEmperor PenguinThe Emperor Penguin is the tallest and heaviest of all living penguin species and is endemic to Antarctica. The male and female are similar in plumage and size, reaching in height and weighing anywhere from . The dorsal side and head are black and sharply delineated from the white belly,...
, later nicknamed "Happy Feet" after the 2006 filmHappy FeetHappy Feet is a 2006 American-Australian computer-animated family film with music, directed and co-written by George Miller. It was produced at Sydney-based visual effects and animation studio Animal Logic for Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures and Kingdom Feature Productions and was released...
, is found washed up on the Kapiti CoastKapiti CoastThe Kapiti Coast is the name of the section of the coast of the south-western North Island of New Zealand that is north of Wellington and opposite Kapiti Island. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Wellington Regional Council...
, the first emperor penguin to be found in New Zealand for 44 years. - 25 June – A by-electionTe Tai Tokerau by-election, 2011The 2011 Te Tai Tokerau by-election was a by-election in the New Zealand electorate of Te Tai Tokerau that was caused by Hone Harawira's resignation from the seat. He chose to re-contest it with the Mana Party in order to seek a new mandate for his views...
is held in the Te Tai Tokerau electorate and won by Hone HarawiraHone HarawiraHone Pani Tamati Waka Nene Harawira is a New Zealand Māori activist and parliamentarian. He was elected to the Parliament of New Zealand for the Māori electorate of Te Tai Tokerau in the 2005 general election as the Māori Party candidate. His resignation caused the Te Tai Tokerau by-election, held...
of the Mana PartyMana Party (New Zealand)The Mana Party is a New Zealand political party led by Hone Harawira. It was formed in April 2011, and plans to contest the 2011 general election. Standing under the Mana Party banner, Mana won an early victory when Mr Harawira won the by-election in Te Tai Tokerau held on 25 June 2011...
.
August
- 15 August – The largest cold snap in fifty years2011 New Zealand snowstorms-25 July 2011:On 25 July 2011, New Zealand was gripped by its coldest winter snap in 15 years. This severe winter storm was forecast well, with forecasters warning of the potential of heavy snow down to sea level in south and east of South Island and to low levels in North Island...
causes widespread snow on both the North and South Islands, causing disruption to power supplies and the closures of roads and Wellington International Airport. - 31 August – Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant GeneralLieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Sir Jerry MateparaeJerry MateparaeLieutenant General Sir Jeremiah "Jerry" Mateparae, GNZM, QSO is New Zealand's 20th Governor-General. He was Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force between 2006 and 2011, the first Māori person to hold the office, and the Director of the New Zealand Government Communications Security Bureau from 7...
is sworn in as New Zealand's 20th Governor-GeneralGovernor-General of New ZealandThe Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
, replacing Sir Anand SatyanandAnand SatyanandSir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO, KStJ was the 19th Governor-General of New Zealand. He previously worked as a lawyer, judge and ombudsman.-Early life and family:...
.
September
- 9 September – The Rugby World Cup2011 Rugby World CupThe 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
begins, the first time the event has been held in New Zealand since 1987. New Zealand playing TongaTonga national rugby union teamThe Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
at Eden ParkEden ParkEden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
, Auckland in the opening game, which was marred with overcrowding problems on the Auckand Waterfront fan zone and transport failures resulting in some spectators missing the game. - 28 September – A New Zealand Special Air Service soldier dies fighting in AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, the second in two months. - 30 September – Credit agencies Fitch and Standard & Poor'sStandard & Poor'sStandard & Poor's is a United States-based financial services company. It is a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies that publishes financial research and analysis on stocks and bonds. It is well known for its stock-market indices, the US-based S&P 500, the Australian S&P/ASX 200, the Canadian...
both downgrade New Zealand's long-term credit rating from AA+ to AA.
October
- 5 October – The container ship MV RenaMV RenaMV Rena is a container ship owned by the Greek shipping company Costamare Inc. through one of its subsidiaries, Daina Shipping Co. The ship was built in 1990 as ZIM America for the Israeli shipping company Zim by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG in Kiel, Germany...
runs aground on the Astrolabe ReefAstrolabe ReefAstrolabe Reef is near Motiti Island, off the Bay of Plenty coast in New Zealand. The reef, which breaks the water surface at low tide, is a renowned scuba diving spot that drops off to in different parts...
12 nmi (22.2 km) off the coast of TaurangaTaurangaTauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
, causing a large oil spill into the Bay of PlentyBay of PlentyThe Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name...
. - 11-13 October – The Tauranga oil spill becomes the nation's worst maritime environmental disaster, as tonnes of fuel oil from the MV Rena washes ashore near Tauranga and containers begin to fall off the damaged ship.
- 23 October – The Rugby World Cup2011 Rugby World CupThe 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
concludes, with the New Zealand All Blacks winning the tournament and the Webb Ellis CupWebb Ellis CupThe Webb Ellis Cup is the trophy awarded to the winner of the Rugby World Cup. The Cup is named after William Webb Ellis, who is often credited as the inventor of rugby football. The trophy is silver gilt and has been presented to the winner of the Rugby World Cup since the first competition in 1987...
after defeating FranceFrance national rugby union teamThe France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
8–7 in the final2011 Rugby World Cup FinalThe 2011 Rugby World Cup Final was a rugby union match between France and New Zealand, the final match of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. It was played on Sunday, 23 October 2011 at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand, and was won 8–7 by New Zealand, who thus won the World Cup.The New Zealand All Blacks...
at Eden Park, Auckland. - 25-30 October – Natural gasNatural gasNatural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
supply to the Upper North Island is severely cut back after a major leak is found in the Maui high pressure gas line in northern TaranakiTaranakiTaranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island and is the 10th largest region of New Zealand by population. It is named for the region's main geographical feature, Mount Taranaki....
, affecting 255,000 consumers including many several major industrial users, thermal power stations, dairy factories, hospitals and businesses.
November
- 10 November – Pike River Mine disasterPike River Mine disasterThe Pike River Mine disaster was a coal mining accident that began on 19 November 2010 in the Pike River Mine, northeast of Greymouth, in the West Coast Region of New Zealand's South Island. A first explosion occurred in the mine at approximately 3:44 pm . At the time of the explosion 31...
: The Department of Labour files 25 criminal charges in relation to the disaster. - 26 November – 2011 general electionNew Zealand general election, 2011The 2011 New Zealand general election on Saturday 26 November 2011 determined the membership of the 50th New Zealand Parliament.One hundred and twenty-one MPs were elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives, 70 from single-member electorates, including one overhang seat, and 51 from party...
and 2011 voting system referendum:- The National PartyNew Zealand National PartyThe New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
, led by incumbent Prime Minister John KeyJohn KeyJohn Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
, wins a plurality of 60 seats in the general election, and indicates he will work with ACT, United Future and the Māori PartyMaori PartyThe Māori Party, a political party in New Zealand, was formed on 7 July 2004. The Party is guided by eight constitutional "kaupapa", or Party objectives. Tariana Turia formed the Māori Party after resigning from the Labour Party where she had been a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour-led...
to form a minority government. - On advance vote counts, the existing Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) voting system gains the majority of the vote, and will be kept to elect the Parliament.
- The National Party
Holidays and observances
6 February - Waitangi DayWaitangi Day
Waitangi Day commemorates a significant day in the history of New Zealand. It is a public holiday held each year on 6 February to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document, on that date in 1840.-History:...
25 April - ANZAC Day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
6 June - Queen's Birthday Monday
24 October - Labour Day
Labour Day
Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for...
Deaths
- 12 February – Kevin Barry, Sr.Kevin Barry, Sr.Kevin Barry, Sr., ONZM, MBE was a New Zealand boxing coach.He trained numerous New Zealand boxers and was for many years one of the country's top boxing coaches. He was appointed an MBE in 1995 and made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009. He coached his son Kevin, Jr. to a silver...
, boxing coach - 12 February – Frank WhittenFrank WhittenFrank Edgar Richard Whitten was a New Zealand television actor. He was more recently known for playing Ted "Grandpa" West in the New Zealand television show Outrageous Fortune.-Life and career:...
, actor - 15 February – Dame Judith BinneyJudith BinneyDame Judith Binney, DNZM, FRSNZ was a New Zealand historian, writer and Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Auckland. Her work focussed primarily on religion in New Zealand, especially the Māori Ringatū religion founded by Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki and continued by Rua Kenana...
, historian and author - 22 February – Jo GilesJo GilesJoanne "Jo" May Giles was a New Zealand television presenter and former representative sportswoman. She represented the country in pistol shooting at the 1997 Oceanian Championships in Adelaide, and the 2000 World Cup in Sydney...
, television personality and sportswoman - 22 February – Amanda HooperAmanda HooperAmanda Jane Hooper née Christie was a former field hockey player from New Zealand. She was a member of the national women's squad The Black Sticks from 2001 to 2003, with a total of 40 caps. In 2003 she was nominated for World Junior Player of the Year...
, field hockey representative - 13 March – Ritchie PickettRitchie PickettRitchie Pickett was a New Zealand country music singer-songwriter who was born in Morrinsville, in the province of Waikato...
, country singer - 30 March – Denis McLeanDenis McLeanDenis McLean, CMG was a New Zealand diplomat, academic, author and civil servant.He began with the Department of External Affairs in 1957 after completing his Rhodes Scholarship at University College, Oxford. He was posted to Washington DC, Paris, Kuala Lumpur and London, where he was deputy high...
, diplomat, academic, author and civil servant - 10 April – Don MertonDon MertonDonald Merton, QSM was a New Zealand conservationist best known for saving the black robin from extinction. He also discovered the lek breeding system of the kakapo....
, conservationist - 20 April – Kerry SmithKerry SmithKerry Lois Smith was a New Zealand actor and broadcaster. She was a presenter on the radio station The Breeze from 2006 to 2011. She was also a presenter for Radio Pacific and Radio Live. On television she was known for her role as "Magda" in the 1980s drama series Gloss...
, actress and broadcaster - 24 April – Colin SneddenColin SneddenColin Alexander Snedden was a New Zealand cricketer. Born in Auckland, he played first-class cricket for Auckland and played in one Test for the New Zealand cricket team against England, at Christchurch in March 1947. Five other New Zealanders made their debut in the same match...
, cricketer - 3 May – Paul AckerleyPaul AckerleyPaul Douglas Ackerley was a field hockey player from New Zealand. He was a member of the national team that won the gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. He was selected for the 1980 Summer Olympics, but most sports in New Zealand boycotted the Moscow games so he did not compete...
, hockey player and coach - 12 June – Geoffrey FiskenGeoffrey FiskenGeoffrey Bryson Fisken, DFC , was a New Zealand fighter pilot who was the British Commonwealth’s leading air ace in the Pacific theatre of World War II. He is credited with shooting down 11 Japanese aircraft.-Early life:...
, World War II flying ace. - 1 July – Harold NelsonHarold NelsonHarold Edward Hughes Nelson was an artist, illustrator, designer of bookplates, advertisements and postage stamps, etcher and engraver on copper, and lecturer.-Life and work:...
, Olympic runner. - 16 July – Dame Katerina MatairaKaterina MatairaDame Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira, DNZM was a New Zealander Māori language proponent, educator, intellectual, artist and writer...
, educator and Maori language proponent, co-founder of Kura Kaupapa Māori. - 19 July – Roy MeehanRoy MeehanRoy Meehan was a New Zealand wrestler. He competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics.-References:...
, Olympic wrestler. - 20 July – Whetu Tirikatene-SullivanWhetu Tirikatene-SullivanTini "Whetu" Marama Tirikatene-Sullivan, ONZ was a New Zealand politician. She was an MP from 1967 to 1996, representing the Labour Party. At the time of her retirement, she was the second longest-serving MP in Parliament, being in her tenth term of office...
, politician, longest-serving female member of the House of Representatives (1967–1996). - 14 August – Paul ReevesPaul ReevesSir Paul Alfred Reeves, ONZ, GCMG, GCVO, CF, QSO was Archbishop and Primate of New Zealand from 1980 to 1985 and the 15th Governor-General of New Zealand from 22 November 1985 to 20 November 1990...
, Anglican archbishop, Primate (1980–1985), Governor-GeneralGovernor-General of New ZealandThe Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
(1985–1990) - 21 August – Christine Cole CatleyChristine Cole CatleyDame Christine McKelvie Cole Catley, DNZM, QSM was a New Zealand journalist, publisher and author. In 2006 she was awarded the Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to literature...
, journalist, publisher and author - 24 August – Graeme MoodyGraeme MoodyGraeme Moody was a New Zealand sports broadcaster. He worked for the Newstalk ZB and Radio Sport networks for 35 years covering a range of major events, including the Olympic Games, rugby world cups, Commonwealth Games and America's Cup yachting...
, sports broadcaster - 2 September – Allan Hubbard, businessman
- 4 September – Dana WilsonDana WilsonDana Richard Wilson is an American composer, jazz pianist, and teacher. Wilson currently resides in Ithaca, New York.Wilson's music has been commissioned and performed by such ensembles as the Chicago Chamber Musicians, Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, Buffalo Philharmonic, Memphis Symphony,...
, rugby league player - 22 September - Whatumoana PakiWhatumoana PakiWhatumoana Paki was a New Zealand Maori royal elder. Paki was the husband of the late Maori Queen, Te Atairangikaahu, who reigned from 1966 to 2006. He and Te Atairangikaahu were the parents of the present Maori King, Tuheitia Paki....
, Maori elder, husband of Te AtairangikaahuTe AtairangikaahuDame Te Atairangikaahu, ONZ, DBE, OStJ was the Māori queen for 40 years, the longest reign of any Māori monarch. Her full name and title was Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu...
and father of Tuheitia PakiTuheitia PakiTuheitia Paki, KStJ is the current Māori King in New Zealand. He is the eldest son of the previous Māori monarch, Dame Te Atairangikaahu, and was announced as her successor and crowned on the same day as her tangihanga took place, on 21 August 2006... - 30 September – Alexander GrantAlexander GrantAlexander Grant was a Royal Navy officer, businessman, and politician in Upper Canada. During his service with the Royal Navy Grant saw action in the Seven Years' War before becoming a naval superintendent. He then embarked on a career in the ship building industry before losing much of his wealth...
, ballet dancer. - 1 October – Len CastleLen CastleLeonard Ramsay "Len" Castle, DCNZM, CBE was a renowned New Zealand potter.Born in Auckland in 1924, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1946 from University of Auckland and trained as a secondary school teacher, eventually taking a lecturing position at the Auckland College of Education...
, potter - 13 October – Chris DoigChris Doig (opera singer)Christopher Keith Doig, CNZM, OBE was a New Zealand opera singer and sports administrator. In 1972 he won New Zealand's Mobil Song Quest and subsequently became principal tenor at the Vienna State Opera...
, opera singer and sports administrator - 23 October – Sir Frank HolmesFrank Holmes (economist)Sir Frank Wakefield Holmes was a New Zealand economist and government advisor. He was knighted in 1975 for services to economics and education...
, economist and government advisor - 28 October – Roger KerrRoger KerrRoger Lawrence Kerr, CNZM , a public policy and business leader, was the executive director of the New Zealand Business Roundtable, a free-market think-tank based in Wellington, New Zealand.-Career:...
, businessman and political campaigner, executive director of the New Zealand Business RoundtableNew Zealand Business RoundtableThe New Zealand Business Roundtable , a market-oriented thinktank, operates from Wellington, New Zealand. Businessman Robert McLeod chairs the organisation, with Bill Gallagher MBE, Nick Calavrias and Bill Day as Vice-Chairs. Members, who pay a five-figure subscription fee, represent most of the... - 30 October – Richard WallsRichard WallsRichard Francis Walls, QSO, JP was a New Zealand politician and businessman.-Member of Parliament :Walls was a Member of Parliament for Dunedin North from 1975 to 1978...
, politician and businessman, former MP for Dunedin NorthDunedin North (New Zealand electorate)Dunedin North is a New Zealand parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. It was established for the 1905 election and has existed since....
(1975–78), former Mayor of DunedinMayor of DunedinThe Mayor of Dunedin is the head of the municipal government of Dunedin, New Zealand, and presides over the Dunedin City Council. The Mayor is directly elected, using the Single Transferable Vote system in 2007....
(1989–95) - 6 November – Allan PeacheyAllan PeacheyAllan Peachey was a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament for Tamaki.-School principal:Before his election to Parliament, Peachey was employed as the principal of Rangitoto College, the largest secondary school in New Zealand...
, politician, MP for TāmakiTamaki (New Zealand electorate)Tāmaki is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The electorate is named after the Tamaki River that runs immediately east of the seat...
(2005–11)
See also
- List of years in New Zealand
- Timeline of New Zealand historyTimeline of New Zealand historyThis is a timeline of the history of New Zealand and only includes events deemed to be of principal importance - for more detailed information click the year heading or refer to List of years in New Zealand.- Prehistory :...
- History of New ZealandHistory of New ZealandThe history of New Zealand dates back at least 700 years to when it was discovered and settled by Polynesians, who developed a distinct Māori culture centred on kinship links and land. The first European explorer to discover New Zealand was Abel Janszoon Tasman on 13 December 1642...
- Military history of New ZealandMilitary history of New ZealandThe military history of New Zealand is an aspect of the history of New Zealand that spans several hundred years. When first settled by Māori almost a millennium ago, there was much land and resources, but war began to break out as the country's carrying capacity was approached...
- Timeline of environmental history of New ZealandTimeline of environmental history of New ZealandThis is a timeline of environmental history of New Zealand. These events relate to the more notable events affecting the natural environment of New Zealand as a result of human activity.-Pre 1800s:...
- Timeline of New Zealand's links with AntarcticaTimeline of New Zealand's links with AntarcticaThis is a timeline of the history of New Zealand's involvement with Antarctica.-Eighteenth and nineteenth centuries:1773*17 January Captain James Cook and the crews of his expedition's ships, Resolution and Adventure, become the first explorers to cross the Antarctic Circle1770s – 1830s*Sealers and...
For world events and topics in 2011 not specifically related to New Zealand see: 2011