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2011 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during 2011 in New Zealand.

Population

  • Estimated population as of 31 December: 4,399,400.
  • Increase since 31 December 2010: 25,600 (0.58%).
  • Males per 100 Females: 95.7.

Incumbents

Regal and vice-regal

Government

2011 was the third and last full year of the 49th Parliament, which was dissolved on 20 October. A general election was held on 26 November to elect the 50th Parliament, which saw the Fifth National Government elected for a second term.

Other Party leaders

Judiciary

Main centre leaders

Events

February

  • 16 February – Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard becomes the first foreign head of government to address the New Zealand Parliament while in session.
  • 22 February – A 6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes Christchurch, causing major damage to the city and killing 185 people.
  • 23 February – Prime Minister John Key declares a national state of emergency following the Christchurch earthquake, the first national state of emergency in 60 years.

March

April

  • 28 April – A state of emergency is declared in the Hawke's Bay due to flooding.

May

  • 3 May – A tornado hits the suburb of Albany in northern Auckland, killing one and causing property damage.
  • 19 May – Minister of Finance Bill English delivers the "Zero Budget", an atypical election year government budget which plans $1.2b worth of spending cuts over the next four years.

June

July

August

September

  • 9 September – The Rugby World Cup begins, the first time the event has been held in New Zealand since 1987. New Zealand playing Tonga at Eden Park, Auckland in the opening game, which was marred with overcrowding problems on the Auckland 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 Afghanistan, the second in two months.
  • 30 September – Credit agencies Fitch and Standard & Poor's both downgrade New Zealand's long-term credit rating from AA+ to AA.

October

  • 5 October – The container ship MV Rena runs aground on the Astrolabe Reef off the coast of Tauranga, causing a large oil spill into the Bay of Plenty.
  • 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 Cup concludes, with the New Zealand All Blacks winning the tournament and the Webb Ellis Cup after defeating France 8–7 in the final at Eden Park, Auckland.
  • 25–30 October – Natural gas 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 Taranaki, affecting 255,000 consumers including many several major industrial users, thermal power stations, dairy factories, hospitals and businesses.
  • 29 October – Christchurch's temporary container mall opens.

November

December

  • 10 December – Official results for the 26 November general election and voting system referendum are released:
  • The National Party is confirmed to hold a plurality of the votes and seats. With confidence and supply agreements with ACT New Zealand and United Future confirmed, National announces it will form a minority government with a one-seat majority, returning the Fifth National Government to a second term in office.
  • Full results of the referendum on the voting system confirm that the Mixed Member Proportional voting system, with 57.8% of the vote, will be kept but will be reviewed. The First Past the Post voting system gains the most votes for the preferred alternative voting system.
  • 11 December – The National Party signs a confidence and supply agreement with the Maori Party, extending its majority to govern to seven seats (64 seats to 57).
  • 13 December – A fault disconnects Huntly Power Station from the national grid at 12:38pm, resulting in 200,000 customers across the North Island losing power as Transpower employs load shedding to prevent a cascade failure of the North Island electricity network. Electricity is gradually restored to customers as reserve generation comes online to replace Huntly.
  • 14 December – A state of emergency is declared in the Nelson and Tasman regions after nearly of rain falls in the 2011 Golden Bay and Nelson floods in 24 hours.
  • 20–21 December – The 50th New Zealand Parliament is opened, with members elected at the 26 November general election being sworn in and the Governor-General delivering the Speech from the Throne.
  • 23 December – A magnitude 5.8 and a magnitude 6.0 earthquake strike Christchurch at 1:58pm and 3:18pm respectively, causing damage, liquefaction, minor injuries, and majorly disrupting shopping and travel in the lead-up to the Christmas holiday period. A state of emergency is declared in Canterbury but later stood down.

Holidays and observances

Undated

Arts and literature

Films

Performing arts

Television

  • C4 to be renamed FOUR

Sport

Events

Horse racing

Harness racing

Shooting

  • Ballinger Belt – Richard Rowlands (Malvern)

Rugby Union

The 2011 Rugby World Cup competition is to be held in New Zealand in September and October.

Births

Deaths

January

  • 19 January – Bryce Postles, cricketer (born 1931)
  • 21 January – Wally Hughes, association football player and coach (born 1934)

February

  • 12 February
  • Kevin Barry Sr., boxing coach (born 1936)
  • Frank Whitten, actor (born 1942)
  • 15 February – Dame Judith Binney, historian and author (born 1940)
  • 20 February – Bob McDowall, freshwater ichthyologist (born 1939)
  • 22 February
  • Jo Giles, television personality and sportswoman (born 1950)
  • Amanda Hooper, field hockey representative (born 1980)

March

April

  • 7 April – Pat Creedy, rugby union and rugby league player (born 1927)
  • 9 April – Geoff Smale, sailor (born 1924)
  • 10 April – Don Merton, conservationist (born 1939)
  • 17 April – Ken Cumberland, geographer (born 1913)
  • 20 April – Kerry Smith, actress and broadcaster (born 1953)
  • 21 April – Stanley Callagher, rowing coxswain (born 1927)
  • 22 April – Tim Eliott, actor (born 1935)
  • 23 April – Ready Teddy, eventing horse (born 1987)
  • 24 April – Colin Snedden, cricketer (born 1918)
  • 28 April – Mike Imber, ornithologist (born 1940)

May

  • 3 May – Paul Ackerley, hockey player and coach (born 1949)
  • 9 May – Maurice Carter, property developer, politician, philanthropist (born 1917)
  • 16 May – Ian Payne, cricketer (born 1921)
  • 21 May – Martin Winch, guitarist (born 1949)

June

July

  • 1 July – Harold Nelson, Olympic runner (born 1923)
  • 5 July – Lesley Rowe, athlete (born 1929)
  • 13 July – Dame Vivienne Boyd, community leader (born 1926)
  • 16 July – Dame Kāterina Mataira, educator and Māori language proponent, co-founder of Kura Kaupapa Māori (born 1932)
  • 19 July – Roy Meehan, Olympic wrestler (born 1931)
  • 20 July
  • Graham Cowan, cricket umpire (born 1940)
  • Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan, politician, longest-serving female member of the House of Representatives (1967–96) (born 1932)
  • 21 July – Don Jowett, athlete (born 1931)
  • 28 July – Joan de Hamel, children's author (born 1924)

August

September

October

November

December

  • 4 December – Alamein Kopu, politician, former MP (1996–99) (born 1943)
  • 7 December
  • Shona Bell, palaeontologist (born 1924)
  • Betty Flint, botanist (born 1909)
  • 11 December – Phillip Cottrell, journalist (born 1968)
  • 15 December
  • Jason Richards, motor racing driver (born 1976)
  • Carmen Rupe, transsexual entertainer (born 1936)
  • 16 December – Pae Ruha, Māori leader (born 1931)
  • 24 December – Tom Logan, water polo player, swimmer, dentist, naval officer (born 1927)
  • 28 December – Volksraad, Thoroughbred sire (foaled 1988)
  • 30 December – John Hewitt, local-body politician (born )

See also

References

External links