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1979 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during 1979 in New Zealand.

Population

  • Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,163,900.
  • Increase since 31 December 1978: -1,300 (−0.04%).
  • Males per 100 females: 99.0.

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

Government

Parliamentary opposition

Main centre leaders

Events

  • 10 January – A fire destroys the Farmers' Co-operative Association department store in Blenheim, aided by strong northwesterly winds and a temperature.
  • February: Muhammed Ali came to New Zealand; staying at Upper Hutt (photos).
  • 17 February – an Air New Zealand Fokker F27 Friendship crashed into Manukau Harbour while on final approach to Auckland Airport 1 crew and 1 company staff member were killed.
  • 19 March – Cessna aircraft en route from Palmerston North to Taupo crashed onto the Desert Rd in bad weather, killing all 6 occupants
  • 24 May – Labour MP Malcolm Douglas is removed from Parliament six months after the 1978 general election, after an electoral petition by National opponent Winston Peters is upheld over irregularities in the votes of the electorate. Peters subsequently replaces Douglas
  • 30 July – The carless days scheme is introduced, restricting private motor vehicles from driving on one day of the week.
  • 8 August – 1979 Abbotsford landslip: Sixty-nine homes in the Dunedin suburb of Abbotsford are left uninhabitable after of land slips 48 metres in 15 minutes.
  • 20 September – The New Zealand Federation of Labour holds a 24-hour general strike to protest government intervention in the drivers' award. Around 300,000 workers, mainly in the manufacturing and transport industries, participate in the strike.
  • 3 November – The Evening Star ceases publication. The Dunedin newspaper was founded in 1863.
  • 28 November – Air New Zealand Flight 901 crashes in Mount Erebus, Antarctica, killing all 237 passengers and 20 crewmembers aboard.
  • Two years after its official opening, the new executive wing of Parliament Buildings, known as the Beehive, is completed and occupied by the Government.

Arts and literature

See 1979 in art, 1979 in literature,

Music

New Zealand Music Awards

  • ALBUM OF THE YEAR Street Talk – Street Talk
  • SINGLE OF THE YEAR Th' Dudes – Be Mine Tonight
  • TOP MALE VOCALIST Rob Guest
  • TOP FEMALE VOCALIST Sharon O'Neill
  • TOP GROUP Th' Dudes
  • MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST Jon Stevens
  • MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST Tina Cross
  • MOST PROMISING GROUP Street Talk
  • PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Steve Robinson – This Heart This Song
  • ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Gerry Smith – This Heart This Song
  • BEST COVER DESIGN Geoff Chunn, Peter Burt & Dale Wrightson – Just Drove Through Town

See: 1979 in music

Performing arts

Radio and television

See: 1979 in New Zealand television, 1979 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, , , Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

See: , 1979 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand,

Sport

Athletics

  • Tony Good wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:18:47.3.

Chess

Horse racing

Harness racing

Motorsport

Netball

Soccer

Births

Deaths

See also

References

External links