2006 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. Dame Silvia CartwrightSilvia CartwrightDame Silvia Rose Cartwright, PCNZM, DBE, QSO, DStJ was the 18th Governor-General of New Zealand.She is a graduate of the University of Otago, where she gained her LL.B degree in 1967, and a former student at Otago Girls' High School.- Public life and family :In 1989, she became the first female...
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...
, DBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, 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. 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...
Government
The 48th New Zealand Parliament48th New Zealand Parliament
The 48th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Its composition was determined at a general election held on 17 September 2005. The new parliament met for the first time on 7 November 2005...
continued. Government was a coalition between
Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The 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....
and the Progressives
New Zealand Progressive Party
Jim Anderton's Progressive Party , is a New Zealand political party generally somewhat to the left of its ally, the Labour Party....
, with
United Future and New Zealand First
New Zealand First
New Zealand First is a political party in New Zealand that was founded in 1993, following party founder Winston Peters' resignation from the National Party in 1992...
supporting supply votes. The leaders of the two support parties are ministers outside Cabinet.
- 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...
- Margaret WilsonMargaret WilsonDame Margaret Wilson DCNZM is a New Zealand academic and former politician. She was Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives during the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand. She is a member of the Labour Party.-Early life:...
(Labour) - 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...
- Helen ClarkHelen ClarkHelen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
(Labour) - 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....
- Michael Cullen (Labour) - 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....
- Michael Cullen (Labour)
Non-Labour Ministers
- Jim AndertonJim AndertonJames Patrick Anderton, usually known as Jim Anderton , is the leader of the Progressive Party, a New Zealand political party. He has served in Parliament since 1984. He served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002 and is currently also the sitting Father of the House, the longest...
(Progressives) (within Cabinet) - Winston PetersWinston PetersWinston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being...
(New Zealand First) - 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...
, Racing and Associate Minister of Senior Citizens (outside Cabinet) - Peter DunnePeter DunnePeter Dunne is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament who leads the United Future political party. He has served as a Cabinet minister in governments dominated by the centre-left Labour Party as well as by the centre-right National Party...
(United Future), Minister of Revenue and Associate Minister of Health (outside Cabinet)
Parliamentary Leaders
- NationalNew 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:...
(opposition) - 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...
until 27 November, then 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....
(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...
) - GreensGreen 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...
(opposition) - Jeanette FitzsimonsJeanette FitzsimonsJeanette Mary Fitzsimons, CNZM is a New Zealand politician and environmentalist. She was the co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand from 1995 to 2009, and was a Member of Parliament from 1996 to 2010.-Career:...
(alone until 2 June 2006) 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 :...
(as co-leader since 3 June 2006) - Act (opposition) - 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...
- New Zealand FirstNew Zealand FirstNew Zealand First is a political party in New Zealand that was founded in 1993, following party founder Winston Peters' resignation from the National Party in 1992...
- Winston PetersWinston PetersWinston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being... - United Future - Peter DunnePeter DunnePeter Dunne is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament who leads the United Future political party. He has served as a Cabinet minister in governments dominated by the centre-left Labour Party as well as by the centre-right National Party...
- 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...
(opposition) - 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...
- Dick HubbardDick HubbardRichard "Dick" John Hubbard ONZM, DSc is a New Zealand businessman and politician, founder and principal of Hubbards Foods in Auckland, and Mayor of Auckland City from 2004 to 2007. His management of Hubbard Foods gained some prominence for its participation in and promotion of socially... - 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....
- Michael RedmanMichael Redman (New Zealand)Michael Gerard Redman is a New Zealand local government administrator and past politician. He was the inaugural chief executive of Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development, an Auckland Council organisation that came into being in November 2010, until October 2011. He was chief executive of... - 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...
- Kerry PrendergastKerry PrendergastKerry Leigh Prendergast, CNZM was the 33rd Mayor of Wellington . She was the second woman to serve as Mayor of Wellington, succeeding Mark Blumsky.-Before politics:... - 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...
- Gary Moore - 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....
- Peter ChinPeter Chin (mayor)Peter Wing Ho Chin CNZM is a lawyer and was the 56th Mayor of Dunedin, New Zealand. He served two terms as Mayor from 2004 to 2010....
January
- 1 January: Changes to New Zealand citizenship lawsNew Zealand nationality lawNew Zealand citizenship was created on 1 January 1949 by the British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act 1948...
mean not all babies born in New Zealand have a right to be citizens. Babies must have a parent who is a citizen or permanent resident of New Zealand or its dependencies. (TVNZ) - 2 January: New Zealand's warm sunny New Year weather has come to a sudden end as gale-force winds and rain assault southern New Zealand. (Wikinews)
- 7 January:The New Zealand Māori QueenMaori King MovementThe Māori King Movement or Kīngitanga is a movement that arose among some of the Māori tribes of New Zealand in the central North Island ,in the 1850s, to establish a role similar in status to that of the monarch of the colonising people, the British, as a way of halting the alienation of Māori land...
, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, is undergoing dialysisDialysisIn medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure...
treatment, the Tainui TribeTainuiTainui is a tribal waka confederation of New Zealand Māori iwi. The Tainui confederation comprises four principal related Māori iwi of the central North Island of New Zealand: Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa and Waikato...
confirmed today. The Queen's condition is not believed to be critical. (Wikinews) - 9 January: Electricity generator and retailer TrustPowerTrustPowerTrustPower Limited is a New Zealand electricity generation and electricity retailing company, listed on the New Zealand stock exchange.TrustPower is New Zealand's fifth largest electricity generator and the fourth largest electricity retailer , serving 260,000 customers throughout New Zealand...
announces that it is considering a wind farmWind farmA wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
development at Lake MahinerangiLake MahinerangiLake Mahinerangi is a small hydroelectric lake formed by a dam on the Waipori River 35 kilometres to the west of Dunedin in New Zealand's South Island....
, south of Dunedin. (Wikinews) - 13 January: Winston PetersWinston PetersWinston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being...
says there is no travel warning for New Zealanders visiting FijiFijiFiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, although Australia has issued one, after the Fijian military commander threatened to remove the Government. (New Zealand Herald) - 14 January:The Government announces a review of liquor advertising amidst concern over teenage binge drinkingBinge drinkingBinge drinking or heavy episodic drinking is the modern epithet for drinking alcoholic beverages with the primary intention of becoming intoxicated by heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time. It is a kind of purposeful drinking style that is popular in several countries worldwide,...
. The review will consider regulating sponsorship of sport by alcohol companies. Lion NathanLion NathanLion Nathan National Foods is the parent company created in October 2009, into which Lion Nathan and National Foods were merged. It is fully owned by Kirin Holdings Company, Limited...
says there is no need for change. (Radio New Zealand) (Stuff) - 15 January: Review of David LangeDavid LangeDavid Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...
's documents show that the United States threatened to spy on New Zealand if it did not back down from its 1980s anti-nuclear legislation. (Stuff) - 21 January:A WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
sperm bank refuses to accept a donation from a gay manGay rights in New ZealandLesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people have most of the same rights as other people in New Zealand. At present, the remaining exceptions are the right to adopt children as a couple, and the right to marry. However, New Zealand enacted legislation that permitted civil unions in 2005, which...
, apparently to minimise the risk of HIVHIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
transmission. (Stuff)
February
- 1 February: 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...
, the leader of the New Zealand 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:...
gave his third state of the nation speech to the Orewa Rotary Club where he focused on the economy. Wikinews - 4 February:Two Fairfax-owned newspapers, The Dominion PostThe Dominion Post (Wellington)The Dominion Post is a metropolitan broadsheet newspaper published in Wellington, New Zealand, owned by the Australian Fairfax group, owners of The Age, Melbourne, and The Sydney Morning Herald.- Foundation :...
and The Christchurch PressThe PressThe Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is owned by Fairfax Media.- History :The Press was first published on 25 May 1861 from a small cottage in Montreal Street, making it the oldest surviving newspaper in the South Island of New Zealand. The first...
, controversially published all 12 cartoons in the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversyJyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversyThe Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after 12 editorial cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005...
, which have triggered international outrage. - 5 February: Hundreds of NZ Muslims march in downtown AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
in protest to the publication of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversyJyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversyThe Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after 12 editorial cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005...
. Wikinews - 5 February: NZ film director Lee TamahoriLee TamahoriLee Tamahori is a New Zealand filmmaker best known for directing the 1994 film Once Were Warriors and the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day.-Upbringing and early career:...
is arrested and formally charged with soliciting and unlawfully loitering on Hollywood's Santa Monica Boulevard, while dressed in dragDrag (clothing)Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
. - 5 February: An earthquakeEarthquakeAn earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
measuring 4.4 on the Richter scaleRichter magnitude scaleThe expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
hit Hawke's BayHawke's BayHawke's Bay is a region of New Zealand. Hawke's Bay is recognised on the world stage for its award-winning wines. The regional council sits in both the cities of Napier and Hastings.-Geography:...
at 1.29 pm, originating 30 km southeast of DannevirkeDannevirkeDannevirke , is a rural service town in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region of the North Island, New Zealand. It is the major town of the administrative Tararua District, the easternmost of the districts in which the Regional Council has responsibilities...
. There was no reported damage. - 6 February: The 166th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of WaitangiTreaty of WaitangiThe Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand....
, New Zealand's founding document, in 1840. This year the celebrations were peaceful, in contrast to other years where the day was the focus of protest by Māori activists. Wikinews - 11 February: TokelauPolitics of TokelauPolitics of Tokelau takes place within a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth in right of her Commonwealth realm of New Zealand, who is represented by an Administrator...
began voting in a referendum to determine whether it remains a New Zealand territory, or becomes a state in free association with New ZealandAssociated stateAn associated state is the minor partner in a formal, free relationship between a political territory with a degree of statehood and a nation, for which no other specific term, such as protectorate, is adopted...
. (NZ Herald) - 12 February: The Royal New Zealand NavyRoyal New Zealand NavyThe Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
's new 9000-tonne Multi-Role Vessel was launched in RotterdamRotterdamRotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
. The MRV is the largest of seven new ships ordered as part of "Project ProtectorProject ProtectorProject Protector was an procurement project for the Royal New Zealand Navy that occurred during the 2000s. At the start of the decade, the New Zealand government retasked the New Zealand Defence Force to be equally capable in combat, peacekeeping, and disaster relief, with the RNZN to focus on...
". http://www.defencetalk.com/news/publish/article_004915.php - 14 February: Fisheries Minister Jim AndertonJim AndertonJames Patrick Anderton, usually known as Jim Anderton , is the leader of the Progressive Party, a New Zealand political party. He has served in Parliament since 1984. He served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002 and is currently also the sitting Father of the House, the longest...
announced that a draft agreement had been reached with fishing companies to ban bottom trawlingBottom trawlingBottom trawling is trawling along the sea floor. It is also often referred to as "dragging".The scientific community divides bottom trawling into benthic trawling and demersal trawling...
in 30 percent of New Zealand's exclusive economic zoneExclusive Economic ZoneUnder the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
. Anderton promised to support a global ban on bottom trawling if that appeared a practical option. (NZ Herald) - 16 February: New Zealand all-rounderAll-rounderAn all-rounder is a cricketer who regularly performs well at both batting and bowling. Although all bowlers must bat and quite a few batsmen do bowl occasionally, most players are skilled in only one of the two disciplines and are considered specialists...
Chris Cairns, ONZMNew 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...
played his final international cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
match against the West IndiesWest Indian cricket teamThe West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as the West Indies or the Windies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s,...
in a Twenty20Twenty20Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in England for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board , in 2003. A Twenty20 game involves two teams, each has a single innings, batting for a maximum of 20 overs. Twenty20 cricket is also known as T20 cricket...
at AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
's 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...
. (Cricinfo) - 16 February: TokelauTokelauTokelau is a territory of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean that consists of three tropical coral atolls with a combined land area of 10 km2 and a population of approximately 1,400...
decides to remain a New Zealand territory after a referendum on independenceTokelau self-determination referendum, 2006The Tokelau self-determination referendum of 2006, supervised by the United Nations, was held from February 11 to February 15, 2006. The defeated proposal would have changed Tokelau's status from an unincorporated New Zealand territory to a self-governing state in free association with Wellington,...
. A 60 percent majority voted in favor of independence, but a two-thirds majority was required for the referendum to succeed. (NZ Government press release) - 20 February: Air New ZealandAir New ZealandAir New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
is set to lay off another 507 workers as it outsources its wide-body aircraft maintenance. A union proposal to save some of the jobs failed to win a worker vote. (Radio NZ) - 22 February: C4 aired the controversial South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
episode Bloody MaryBloody Mary (South Park)"Bloody Mary" is the fourteenth episode of the ninth season of the series South Park. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on December 7, 2005. In the episode, Randy drives drunk and loses his driver's license. He then forced to go to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, where he...
, which portrays a statue of the Virgin Mary menstruatingMenstruationMenstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining . It occurs on a regular basis in sexually reproductive-age females of certain mammal species. This article focuses on human menstruation.-Overview:...
, despite protests from religious groups. (NZ Herald) - 23 February: Air New ZealandAir New ZealandAir New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
workers accepted a new employment package in a new vote. About 300 wide-body aircraft maintenance jobs will be saved in Auckland, although 200 will still be made redundant. (NZ Herald) - 24 February:Air New ZealandAir New ZealandAir New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
announced that 470 corporate jobs, mostly in Auckland are to be axed over the next year. (News Talk ZB)
March
- 6 March: Child Youth and FamilyNew Zealand Department of Child, Youth and Family ServicesChild, Youth and Family "CYF" , is the government agency that has legal powers to intervene to protect and help children who are being abused or neglected or who have problem behaviour. CYF works with the Police and the Courts in dealing with young offenders under the youth justice system...
is to merge with the Ministry of Social Development. (Radio NZ) - 6 March: Fairfax purchases the New Zealand online auction site Trade Me for NZ$625 million. (Scoop)
- 7 March: The New Zealand Census of Population and DwellingsNew Zealand Census of Population and DwellingsThe New Zealand government department Statistics New Zealand conducts a census of population and dwellings every five years. The census scheduled for 2011 was cancelled due to circumstances surrounding the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, however, and legislation introduced to hold the next...
is held. For the first time, respondents had the option of completing their census form via the internet rather than by a printed form. - 15 March: The 2006 Commonwealth Games2006 Commonwealth GamesThe 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
opens in MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. New Zealand is represented by 255 athletesNew Zealand at the 2006 Commonwealth GamesNew Zealand at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia was represented by 249 athletescompeting in over 19 disciplines, with 119 officials...
, its largest team ever to a Commonwealth Games. - 17 March: DoCNew Zealand Department of ConservationThe Department of Conservation , commonly known by its acronym, "DOC", is the state sector organisation which deals with the conservation of New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage...
starts an emergency evacuation of Raoul IslandRaoul IslandAnvil-shaped Raoul Island , the largest and northernmost of the main Kermadec Islands, , has been the source of vigorous volcanic activity during the past several thousand years that was dominated by dacitic explosive eruptions.The area of the island, including fringing islets and rocks...
after one of the island's volcanos erupts. One person is missing. (NZ Herald) - 17 March: A report on AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
traffic congestion suggests charges of $3–$6 for a vehicle to enter the Auckland isthmus, or a $10 surcharge on all parking in the CBDCentral business districtA central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. (NZ Herald) - 20 March: David ParkerDavid Parker (New Zealand)David William Parker , a New Zealand politician, served as Minister of State Services, Minister of Energy, Minister for Land Information and Minister Responsible for Climate Change Issues in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand....
resigns as Attorney-GeneralAttorney-General (New Zealand)The Attorney-General is a political office in New Zealand. It is simultaneously a ministerial position and an administrative office, and has responsibility for supervising New Zealand law and advising the government on legal matters...
after publicity about an incorrect declaration he filed with the Companies Office. The following day he resigned from CabinetNew Zealand CabinetThe Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
. - 25 March: Restaurant Brands, the franchise holder for KFC, Pizza HutPizza HutPizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
and StarbucksStarbucksStarbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
, have agreed to phase out youth rates. BPBPBP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
agreed to scrap youth rates earlier. - 26 March: In the 2006 Commonwealth Games2006 Commonwealth GamesThe 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
, New ZealandNew Zealand at the 2006 Commonwealth GamesNew Zealand at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia was represented by 249 athletescompeting in over 19 disciplines, with 119 officials...
wins 31 medals, which puts it in 9th place. This is New Zealand's worst performance at a Commonwealth Games since 1982. - 28 March: Farmers are unhappy with the new law that all dogs first registered after 1 July 2006 must be microchippedMicrochip implant (animal)A microchip implant is an identifying integrated circuit placed under the skin of a dog, cat, horse, parrot or other animal. The chips are about the size of a large grain of rice and are based on a passive RFID technology....
. They want farm dogsHerding dogA herding dog, also known as a stock dog or working dog, is a type of pastoral dog that either has been trained in herding or belongs to breeds developed for herding...
to be exempt, and have drawn a parallel to the Dog Tax WarDog Tax WarThe Dog Tax war is described by some authors as the last gasp of the 19th century wars between the Māori and the Pākehā, the British settlers of New Zealand. This is not altogether accurate in two respects. It was a very minor affair, certainly not a war...
of 1898. - 29 March: New Zealand's first reported case of ATMAutomated teller machineAn automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
Card Skimming was found at BNZBank of New ZealandBank of New Zealand is one of New Zealand’s largest banks and has been operating continuously in the country since the first office was opened in Auckland in October 1861 followed shortly after by the first branch in Dunedin in December 1861...
New LynnNew Lynn, New ZealandNew Lynn is a residential suburb, located in the former Waitakere City, one of the four main urbanised regions that have since become the city of Auckland, in northern New Zealand.The population was 15,510 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 1,446 from 2001....
. - 31 March: Assistant police commissioner Clinton Rickards and two former police officers are found not guilty of the alleged rape and sexual abuse of Louise Nicholas in RotoruaRotoruaRotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
in the 1980s.
April
- 1 April: It was today announced Judge 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:...
has been appointed to succeed Dame Silvia CartwrightSilvia CartwrightDame Silvia Rose Cartwright, PCNZM, DBE, QSO, DStJ was the 18th Governor-General of New Zealand.She is a graduate of the University of Otago, where she gained her LL.B degree in 1967, and a former student at Otago Girls' High School.- Public life and family :In 1989, she became the first female...
as HM the Queen's Governor-General of New ZealandGovernor-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....
, He will take up office on 4 August. - 2 April: The Auckland City Council wins a Pigasus AwardPigasus AwardThe Pigasus Award is the name of an annual tongue-in-cheek honor recognized by noted skeptic James Randi. The awards seek to expose parapsychological, paranormal or psychic frauds that Randi has noted over the previous year...
for granting $2500 to the Foundation For Spiritualist Mediums "to teach people to communicate with the dead". - 3 April: Judge 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:...
has been appointed to succeed Dame Silvia CartwrightSilvia CartwrightDame Silvia Rose Cartwright, PCNZM, DBE, QSO, DStJ was the 18th Governor-General of New Zealand.She is a graduate of the University of Otago, where she gained her LL.B degree in 1967, and a former student at Otago Girls' High School.- Public life and family :In 1989, she became the first female...
as HM the Queen's Governor-General of New ZealandGovernor-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....
. He will take up office on 4 August 2006. - 6 April: The New Zealand Parliament passes an act making New Zealand Sign LanguageNew Zealand Sign LanguageNew Zealand Sign Language or NZSL is the main language of the Deaf community in New Zealand. It became an official language of New Zealand in April 2006, alongside Te Reo Māori....
the third official language of New Zealand, alongside English and MāoriMaori languageMāori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
. - 6 April: Helen ClarkHelen ClarkHelen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
and Chinese Premier Wen JiabaoWen JiabaoWen Jiabao is the sixth and current Premier and Party secretary of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, serving as China's head of government and leading its cabinet. In his capacity as Premier, Wen is regarded as the leading figure behind China's economic policy...
meet in WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
and agree to aim for a Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and China within two years. - 7 April: Following acquittal of three men in the Louise Nicholas rape trial, pamphlets and emails about two of the defendants are widely circulated in defiance of previous court suppression orders.
- 10 April: AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
rises to 5th place behind ZurichZürichZurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
and GenevaGenevaGeneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
in a survey of the world's top 55 cities for quality of life. WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
places 12th. - 19 April: The New Zealand Government is to send reinforcements to the Solomon IslandsSolomon IslandsSolomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
to support RAMSI following an outbreak of violence after the election of Snyder RiniSnyder RiniSnyder Rini is a Solomon Islands politician who was briefly the eighth Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands from April to May 2006 and has been Minister for Finance and Treasury since December 2007...
as the new Prime Minister yesterday. - 26 April: David ParkerDavid Parker (New Zealand)David William Parker , a New Zealand politician, served as Minister of State Services, Minister of Energy, Minister for Land Information and Minister Responsible for Climate Change Issues in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand....
is cleared of any misconduct by the Companies Office. He was granted an exemption in 1999 from the rules he had fallen foul of. He is likely to be reinstated to the CabinetNew Zealand CabinetThe Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
next week. - 27 April:The Electricity Commission has rejected TranspowerTranspower New Zealand LimitedTranspower New Zealand Limited is the state-owned enterprise responsible for electric power transmission in New Zealand. Transpower performs two major functions in the New Zealand Electricity Market...
's plan to build a line of power pylons from AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
to WhakamaruWhakamaruWhakamaru is a town in the central region of the North Island of New Zealand. The Maori words 'whaka' and 'maru' literally mean to give shelter to, or safeguard....
. The plan had drawn protests from landowners along the route. - 30 April: Following acquittal of three men in the Louise Nicholas rape trial, several hundred people marched up Queen Street, in support of Louise Nicholas.
May
- 1 May: Troubles continue at TVNZ, with leaked emails from Craig Boyce to Ian FraserIan Fraser (broadcaster)Ian Fraser OBE is a New Zealander who was the Chief Executive Officer of Television New Zealand from 2002 until 2005. During his time in this office, TVNZ made a transition from a wholly commercial broadcaster to a public company operating under a charter.He resigned on 30 October 2005 following a...
, referring to the Parliamentary select committee as "the bastards are our enemy". - 3 May: The New Zealand Government announces that it will require TelecomTelecom New ZealandTelecom New Zealand is a New Zealand-wide communications service provider , providing fixed line telephone services, a mobile network, an internet service provider , a major ICT provider to NZ businesses , and a wholesale network infrastructure provider to other NZ CSPs...
to unbundle the local loopLocal loopIn telephony, the local loop is the physical link or circuit that connects from the demarcation point of the customer premises to the edge of the carrier or telecommunications service provider's network...
to provide "access to fast, competitively priced broadband internet". - 13 May: The trawler Kotuku sinks in Foveaux StraitFoveaux StraitFoveaux Strait separates Stewart Island/Rakiura, New Zealand's third largest island, from the South Island. Three large bays, Te Waewae Bay, Oreti Beach and Toetoes Bay, sweep along the strait's northern coast, which also hosts Bluff township and harbour. Across the strait lie the Solander...
on the way back from muttonbirdSooty ShearwaterThe Sooty Shearwater is a medium-large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. In New Zealand it is also known by its Māori name tītī and as "muttonbird", like its relatives the Wedge-tailed Shearwater and the Australian Short-tailed Shearwater The Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) is...
ing. Of the nine people on board, including three generations of one family, only three survive. It is New Zealand's worst maritime disaster since the WahineWahine disasterThe Wahine disaster occurred on 10 April 1968 when the TEV Wahine, a New Zealand inter-island ferry of the Union Company, foundered on Barrett Reef at the entrance to Wellington Harbour and capsized near Steeple Rock...
. - 15 May: After 40 days of climbing, New Zealander Mark InglisMark InglisMark Joseph Inglis is a mountaineer, researcher, winemaker and motivational speaker. He holds a degree in Human Biochemistry from Lincoln University, New Zealand, and has conducted research in Leukemia...
became the first double amputee to reach the summit of Mount EverestMount EverestMount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
, the tallest mountain in the world. - 16 May: Michael Ryan, a messenger for the Department of 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...
and CabinetNew Zealand CabinetThe Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
is named as the government employee who leaked the information to TelecomTelecom New ZealandTelecom New Zealand is a New Zealand-wide communications service provider , providing fixed line telephone services, a mobile network, an internet service provider , a major ICT provider to NZ businesses , and a wholesale network infrastructure provider to other NZ CSPs...
that the government is planning to "unbundle the local loopLocal loopIn telephony, the local loop is the physical link or circuit that connects from the demarcation point of the customer premises to the edge of the carrier or telecommunications service provider's network...
". - 17 May: An attempt by the Green Party to repeal part of a controversial dog microchipping law was voted down 61-60.
- 18 May: Finance MinisterMinister 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....
Michael Cullen delivers the 2006 Budget2006 New Zealand budgetThe New Zealand budget for fiscal year 2006-2007 was presented to the New Zealand House of Representatives by Finance Minister Hon. Dr Michael Cullen on 18 May 2006.This was the seventh budget Michael Cullen has presented as Minister of Finance...
. - 24 May: The week-long festivities celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Māori QueenMaori King MovementThe Māori King Movement or Kīngitanga is a movement that arose among some of the Māori tribes of New Zealand in the central North Island ,in the 1850s, to establish a role similar in status to that of the monarch of the colonising people, the British, as a way of halting the alienation of Māori land...
's coronation have ended. - 25 May: The three men acquitted of rape in the Louise Nicholas trial now face a new trial for alleged sexual offences against another woman in the mid 1980s. (NZ Herald)
June
3 June: The Green PartyGreen Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
The 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...
elects Russel Norman
Russel Norman
Dr 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 :...
as its co-leader to replace Rod Donald
Rod Donald
Rodney David "Rod" Donald , was a New Zealand politician who co-led the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, along with Jeanette Fitzsimons.He lived in Christchurch with his partner Nicola Shirlaw, and their three daughters....
.
6 June: The trial of Tim Selwyn
Tim Selwyn
Tim Selwyn is a New Zealand political activist who was found guilty of sedition on 8 June 2006, the first person charged with sedition in New Zealand for more than 30 years. He is also editor of magazine, has a with the same name....
for sedition
Sedition
In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
begins in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. Selwyn is the first New Zealander in over 80 years to be charged with sedition.
7 June: The Privy Council
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom. Established by the Judicial Committee Act 1833 to hear appeals formerly heard by the King in Council The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is one of the highest courts in the United...
agrees to hear David Bain
David Bain
David Cullen Bain is a New Zealander who featured in one of the country's most notable murder cases. He was convicted in May 1995 of the murders of his parents and siblings in Dunedin on 20 June 1994...
's appeal against his conviction for the murder of his family.
- 8 June: Tim SelwynTim SelwynTim Selwyn is a New Zealand political activist who was found guilty of sedition on 8 June 2006, the first person charged with sedition in New Zealand for more than 30 years. He is also editor of magazine, has a with the same name....
is found guilty of seditionSeditionIn law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
. - 8 June: New Zealand has won hosting rights for the 2010 World Rowing ChampionshipsWorld Rowing ChampionshipsThe World Rowing Championships is an international rowing regatta organized by FISA . It is a week long event held at the end of the northern hemisphere summer and in non-Olympic years is the highlight of the international rowing calendar.The first event was held in Lucerne, Switzerland in 1962...
, which will be held at Lake KarapiroLake KarapiroLake Karapiro is an artificial reservoir lake on the Waikato River in the North Island of New Zealand. The lake, near Cambridge and some south-east of the city of Hamilton, was created in 1947 to store water for the Karapiro Power Station, the last of the eight hydroelectric power stations on the...
. - 10 June: The family of Richard SeddonRichard SeddonRichard John Seddon , sometimes known as King Dick, is to date the longest serving Prime Minister of New Zealand. He is regarded by some, including historian Keith Sinclair, as one of New Zealand's greatest political leaders....
remember his death 100 years ago. - 10 June: A YemenYemenThe Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
i man, linked to the 11 September 2001 attacksSeptember 11, 2001 attacksThe September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
in the United States, has been deported from New Zealand. It is only the second time that section 72 of the Immigration Act has been used to deport someone. Its use requires the consent of the 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....
, and there is no right of appealAppealAn appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
. - 12 June: A blackoutPower outageA power outage is a short- or long-term loss of the electric power to an area.There are many causes of power failures in an electricity network...
hits AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, lasting for several hours and affecting an estimated 700,000 people. The cause was found to be an earth wire which snapped off in high winds and fell across high-voltage transmission lines at a substation. - A severe storm lashed the country, bringing heavy snow to Otago and Canterbury Some small communities lose power for up to 12 days after the storm.
- 15 June: A free-to-airFree-to-airFree-to-air describes television and radio services broadcast in clear form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscription or one-off fee...
digital televisionDigital televisionDigital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
service called Freeview will be launched in 2007. All viewers will require a set-top boxSet-top boxA set-top box or set-top unit is an information appliance device that generally contains a tuner and connects to a television set and an external source of signal, turning the signal into content which is then displayed on the television screen or other display device.-History:Before the...
, and some will need a satellite dishSatellite dishA satellite dish is a dish-shaped type of parabolic antenna designed to receive microwaves from communications satellites, which transmit data transmissions or broadcasts, such as satellite television.-Principle of operation:...
. - 15 June: Junior doctors begin a five-day strike over working hours and conditions. Hospitals defer non-urgent surgery and outpatient treatments.
- 16 June: The Varroa bee miteVarroa destructorVarroa destructor is an external parasitic mite that attacks honey bees Apis cerana and Apis mellifera. The disease caused by the mites is called varroatosis....
has been found near StokeStoke, New ZealandStoke is one of the suburbs of Nelson, New Zealand. It lies between Richmond and Tahunanui. Stoke has a population of around 7000. Stoke was voted 'Keep New Zealand Beautiful Peoples Choice Best Place in New Zealand' in 2010.-Main attractions:...
. The mite arrived in New Zealand in 2000 and has been confined to the North IslandNorth IslandThe North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
until now. - 18 June: The deaths of three month old twins Chris and Cru KahuiChris and Cru KahuiThe deaths of brothers Christopher Arepa and Cru Omeka Kahui , two New Zealand infants from a Māori family who died in Auckland's Starship Children's Hospital after being admitted with serious head injuries, highlighted the fact that Māori children are more than twice as likely to die as a result...
as a result of abuse injuries shocks the nation and dominates headlines for months. - 21 June: Working dogWorking dogA working dog refers to a canine working animal, i.e., a type of dog that is not merely a pet but learns and performs tasks to assist and/or entertain its human companions, or a breed of such origin...
s have been exempted from the dog microchippingMicrochip implant (animal)A microchip implant is an identifying integrated circuit placed under the skin of a dog, cat, horse, parrot or other animal. The chips are about the size of a large grain of rice and are based on a passive RFID technology....
legislation currently before Parliament. - 27 June: TelecomTelecom New ZealandTelecom New Zealand is a New Zealand-wide communications service provider , providing fixed line telephone services, a mobile network, an internet service provider , a major ICT provider to NZ businesses , and a wholesale network infrastructure provider to other NZ CSPs...
announces it will voluntarily separate its business into two operating entities - Wholesale and Retail. - 29 June: Development of the Kupe gas and oil field off the Taranaki coast will go ahead, with production beginning in 2009.
- 30 June: Tame ItiTame ItiTāme Wairere Iti has become well known in New Zealand as a Tūhoe Māori activist.- Early life :Born on a train near Rotorua, Tame Iti grew up with his grandparents in the custom known as whāngai on a farm near Ruatoki in the Urewera area of New Zealand...
is sentenced to pay $300 and court costs for shooting the New Zealand Flag.
July
- 2 July: The Intellectual Property Office has turned down an application by Ngāti ToaNgati ToaNgāti Toa , an iwi , traces its descent from the eponymous ancestor Toarangatira. The Ngāti Toa region extends from Miria-te-kakara at Rangitikei to Wellington, and across Cook Strait to Wairau and Nelson....
to trademark Ka Mate, the hakaHaka of the All BlacksThe Haka is a traditional Maori war dance from New Zealand. There are thousands of Haka that are performed by various tribes and cultural groups throughout New Zealand. The best known Haka of them all is called "Ka Mate". It has been performed by countless New Zealand teams both locally and...
used by the All BlacksAll BlacksThe New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
. - 3 July: Police Minister Annette KingAnnette KingAnnette Faye King is a New Zealand politician. She is the current Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the New Zealand. She was a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand.-Early life:...
and Police Commissioner Howard Broad both deny that New Zealand PoliceNew Zealand PoliceThe New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
have quotas for speeding tickets after a memo about such quotas is leaked. - 4 July:An Italian FiatFiatFIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
advert draws criticism from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for having women perform the hakaHakaHaka is a traditional ancestral war cry, dance or challenge from the Māori people of New Zealand. It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment...
. - 10 July: 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....
List MP Jim SuttonJim SuttonJames Robert Sutton, CNZM , generally known as Jim Sutton, was a New Zealand politician from 1984–1990 and from 1993–2006. He has held a range of ministerial portfolios including Agriculture, Forestry, Rural Affairs, Biosecurity, and Trade Negotiations.-Biography:Sutton was born in...
announces he is leaving politics on 1 August 2006. He will be replaced by the next member of the Labour Party list, Charles ChauvelCharles Chauvel (politician)Charles Pierre Chauvel is a New Zealand lawyer and politician. Since 2006 he has been a Member of Parliament in the New Zealand House of Representatives. He is the first New Zealand MP of Tahitian ancestry...
.
11 July: Te Atairangi Kaahu, the Māori Queen
Maori King Movement
The Māori King Movement or Kīngitanga is a movement that arose among some of the Māori tribes of New Zealand in the central North Island ,in the 1850s, to establish a role similar in status to that of the monarch of the colonising people, the British, as a way of halting the alienation of Māori land...
, is taken to Waikato Hospital's intensive care unit after a possible heart attack and kidney failure.
18 July: Tim Selwyn
Tim Selwyn
Tim Selwyn is a New Zealand political activist who was found guilty of sedition on 8 June 2006, the first person charged with sedition in New Zealand for more than 30 years. He is also editor of magazine, has a with the same name....
is sentenced to 2 months imprisonment for sedition
Sedition
In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. He is also sentenced to a further 15 months for other offenses.
18 July: Former Cabinet Minister
New Zealand Cabinet
The Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
Taito Phillip Field
Taito Phillip Field
Taito Phillip Hans Field is a Samoan New Zealand politician. He was a Member of Parliament for south Auckland electorates from 1993 to 2008. Field was a minister outside Cabinet in a Labour-led government from 2003 to 2005. Following charges of bribery and perverting the course of justice, he was...
is cleared of any conflict of interest by an inquiry into allegations he had used his position for material gain, but his judgement was criticised.
25 July: The Overlander rail passenger service will be withdrawn at the end of September, thus ending the last passenger service operating between Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
.
31 July: New smaller and lighter coins are introduced in denominations of 10c, 20c, and 50c.
August
10 August: Origin Pacific AirwaysOrigin Pacific Airways
Origin Pacific Airways was an airline based in Nelson in New Zealand operating freight services. Until 10 August 2006, the airline also operated scheduled and charter passenger services. Its main base was at Nelson Airport . It ceased all operations on 15 September 2006- Starting out :Origin...
suspends passenger operations and lays off most of its staff. Freight operations will continue.
15 August: Māori Queen
Maori King Movement
The Māori King Movement or Kīngitanga is a movement that arose among some of the Māori tribes of New Zealand in the central North Island ,in the 1850s, to establish a role similar in status to that of the monarch of the colonising people, the British, as a way of halting the alienation of Māori land...
Dame Te Atairangi Kaahu dies after a long illness.
19 August: The All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
win the 2006 rugby union Tri Nations series
2006 Tri Nations Series
-Week 2:-Week 3:-Week 4:* All Blacks retain Bledisloe Cup-Week 5:-Week 6:-Week 7:-Week 8:-Week 9:-External links:* * *...
.
21 August: Tuheitia Paki
Tuheitia Paki
Tuheitia 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...
, the eldest son of Dame Te Atairangikaahu
Te Atairangikaahu
Dame 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...
, is selected as the new Māori King
Maori King Movement
The Māori King Movement or Kīngitanga is a movement that arose among some of the Māori tribes of New Zealand in the central North Island ,in the 1850s, to establish a role similar in status to that of the monarch of the colonising people, the British, as a way of halting the alienation of Māori land...
.
23 August: Anand Satyanand
Anand Satyanand
Sir 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:...
is sworn in as the new Governor-General of New Zealand
Governor-General of New Zealand
The 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....
.
- 25 August An industrial dispute2006 Progressive Enterprises disputeThe 2006 Progressive Enterprises Dispute was an industrial dispute between New Zealand supermarket company Progressive Enterprises and employees represented by the National Distribution Union and the EPMU...
between supermarket company Progressive EnterprisesProgressive EnterprisesProgressive Enterprises Limited is an Australian owned company operating in New Zealand, and a subsidiary of the Australian retail group Woolworths Limited....
and employees in the EPMU and NDUNational Distribution UnionThe National Distribution Union is a national trade union in New Zealand. It was formed in 1986 as the Northern Distribution Union by the merger of The Northern Drivers Union, The Northern Stores and Warehouse Union, The Auckland and Gisborne Shop Employee Union, and The Northern Butchers and...
begins and lasts until 21 September
28 August: Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
suggests that Taito Phillip Field
Taito Phillip Field
Taito Phillip Hans Field is a Samoan New Zealand politician. He was a Member of Parliament for south Auckland electorates from 1993 to 2008. Field was a minister outside Cabinet in a Labour-led government from 2003 to 2005. Following charges of bribery and perverting the course of justice, he was...
should reconsider his future as an MP, after fresh allegations are made against him.
September
2 September: Natural gasNatural gas
Natural 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...
supplies were cut to about 1000 central Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
businesses for four days, after water entered Powerco
Powerco
Powerco is the second-largest gas and electricity company based in New Zealand. The company is 58% owned by QIC Limited and 42% owned by Brookfield Infrastructure Partners....
's gas mains.
7 September: Four mayors in the Auckland Region
Auckland Region
The Auckland Region was one of the sixteen regions of New Zealand, named for the city of Auckland, the country's largest urban area. With one third of the nation's residents, it was by far the biggest population and economy of any region of New Zealand, but the second-smallest land area.On 1...
meet with Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
to discuss the possibility of amalgamating their city councils to a single body.
10 September: Tonga's King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV
Taufa'ahau Tupou IV
Tāufaāhau Tupou IV, King of Tonga, GCMG, GCVO, KBE, KStJ son of Queen Sālote Tupou III and her consort Prince Viliami Tungī Mailefihi, was the king of Tonga from the death of his mother in 1965 until his own death in 2006...
dies in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
.
13 September: Don Brash
Don Brash
Donald "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...
takes leave to sort out marital problems amidst rumours he had an affair.
14 September: Stephen Tindall
Stephen Tindall
Sir Stephen Robert Tindall, KNZM is the founder of New Zealand retailer The Warehouse, and of the Tindall Foundation.He attended Takapuna Grammar School and has a Diploma of Management from the Auckland Institute of Technology....
announces his intention of buying out the other shareholders in the retail chain he founded, The Warehouse
The Warehouse Group
The Warehouse Group Limited, founded by Stephen Tindall in 1982, is the largest department store retailer operating in New Zealand. The Warehouse is largely a discount store similar to Wal-Mart in the United States, however The Warehouse sells far more generic brand merchandise than other discount...
. Tindall currently has a controlling share in the company.
18 September: The Prime Minister
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
's husband Peter Davis
Peter Davis (New Zealand)
Peter Davis is a sociologist and the husband of former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark. He met Clark – then a political-science lecturer at Auckland – in 1977...
is accused of being gay, after a picture is published of him kissing another man. Both Davis and Clark deny the claim; the picture later turns out to be a still from election night coverage.(news.com.au) See also:Investigate.
21 September: The dispute
2006 Progressive Enterprises dispute
The 2006 Progressive Enterprises Dispute was an industrial dispute between New Zealand supermarket company Progressive Enterprises and employees represented by the National Distribution Union and the EPMU...
between supermarket company Progressive Enterprises
Progressive Enterprises
Progressive Enterprises Limited is an Australian owned company operating in New Zealand, and a subsidiary of the Australian retail group Woolworths Limited....
and over 500 employees is resolved after 28 days.
25 September: Shares in carpet maker Feltex are suspended on the New Zealand Exchange
New Zealand Exchange
NZX Limited is a stock exchange located in Wellington, New Zealand. Since July 2005 it has been located in NZX Centre, the renovated Odlins building on the Wellington waterfront...
after the company is placed in receivership on 22 September.
26 September: Brian Connell
Brian Connell
The New Zealand politician Brian David Connell represented the New Zealand National Party in the New Zealand Parliament from 2002 to 2008....
is suspended from the National Party
New Zealand National Party
The 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:...
caucus.
27 September: Bacardi
Bacardi
Bacardi is a family-controlled spirits company, best known as a producer of rums, including Bacardi Superior and Bacardi 151. The company sells in excess of 200 million bottles per year in nearly 100 countries...
offers NZ$138 million to buy the New Zealand alcoholic drink company 42 Below
Pacific Dawn
Pacific Dawn Limited is the former name of 42 BELOW Limited, a drinks manufacturing company based in downtown Auckland, New Zealand. They produce the flagship vodka 42 BELOW and the gin South Gin, as well as 420 spring water and the House Quality Vodka brand Stil Vodka.-Brand information:The 42nd...
.
28 September: Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
's Logan Park High School
Logan Park High School
Logan Park High School is a high school in Dunedin, New Zealand. It was opened in 1975 on the site of a former rifle range in a small wooded valley adjacent to Logan Park, an area of land reclaimed from the former Lake Logan and now largely converted into a park and playing fields in Dunedin North...
is threatened by a large forest fire in a plantation bordering the school.
28 September: The Overlander train between Auckland and Wellington, due to be withdrawn at the end of the month, is to continue, but on a reduced schedule.
29 September: The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand is the main Presbyterian church in New Zealand.-History:The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand was formed in October 1901 with the amalgamation of churches in Synod of Otago and Southland with those north of the Waitaki River.Presbyterians had by and...
votes to confirm a ban on people in de facto or gay relationships from becoming leaders in the Church.
30 September: The New Zealand Government apologises to the Te Arawa
Te Arawa
Te Arawa is a confederation of Māori iwi and hapu based in the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty areas of New Zealand, with a population of around 40,000.The history of the Te Arawa people is inextricably linked to the Arawa canoe...
iwi
Iwi
In New Zealand society, iwi form the largest everyday social units in Māori culture. The word iwi means "'peoples' or 'nations'. In "the work of European writers which treat iwi and hapū as parts of a hierarchical structure", it has been used to mean "tribe" , or confederation of tribes,...
over Treaty of Waitangi grievances
Treaty of Waitangi claims and settlements
Treaty of Waitangi claims and settlements have been a significant feature of New Zealand race relations and politics since 1975. Over the last 30 years, New Zealand governments have increasingly provided formal legal and political opportunity for Māori to seek redress for breaches by the Crown of...
, and returns 500 square kilometres of Crown land and 19 areas of special significance to it.
October
1 October: The Wearable ArtWearable art
Wearable art, also known as Artwear or "art to wear", refers to individually designed pieces of hand-made clothing or jewelry created as fine or expressive art...
Parade is held in central Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
.
3 October: The Christian Heritage Party
Christian Heritage New Zealand
The Christian Heritage Party of New Zealand was a New Zealand political party espousing Christian values...
announces that it is disbanding.
8 October: Fisheries officers' request to be allowed to carry baton
Club (weapon)
A club is among the simplest of all weapons. A club is essentially a short staff, or stick, usually made of wood, and wielded as a weapon since prehistoric times....
s and pepper spray
Pepper spray
Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...
is denied by Minister Jim Anderton
Jim Anderton
James Patrick Anderton, usually known as Jim Anderton , is the leader of the Progressive Party, a New Zealand political party. He has served in Parliament since 1984. He served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002 and is currently also the sitting Father of the House, the longest...
.
26 October: The father of Chris and Cru Kahui
Chris and Cru Kahui
The deaths of brothers Christopher Arepa and Cru Omeka Kahui , two New Zealand infants from a Māori family who died in Auckland's Starship Children's Hospital after being admitted with serious head injuries, highlighted the fact that Māori children are more than twice as likely to die as a result...
is charged with their murder in June
31 October: The five-cent coin, and the larger pre-2006 ten-cent, twenty-cent, and fifty-cent coins are withdrawn from circulation and demonetised.
November
- 11 November: New Zealand War Memorial opened in Hyde Park, LondonHyde Park, LondonHyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
- Icebergs are sighted within 100 km of the New Zealand coastline.
- 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:...
leader 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...
resigns. - 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....
appointed leader of the National Party, with 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...
as deputy.
December
4 December: The Copyright (New Technologies and Performers' Rights) Amendment Bill, is introduced to update copyright laws due to the development and adoption of new technologies.16 December: Three children are killed when a cliff collapses on them at a riverside picnic ground in the Manawatu region.
16 December: Nine experienced New Zealand firefighters are injured, one seriously, as they fought Bushfires in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia.
22 December: The Government announces changes to the regulations governing the sale of consumer fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
. Sales will now be restricted to 3 (previously 10) days of the year - 3–5 November and the age limit for purchase has been raised from 16 to 18.
28 December - The contentious Wellington Inner city bypass opens
31 December: The 2006 road toll
Road toll
Road toll is the term used in some countries for the number of deaths caused annually by road accidents.The term is in common and official use in Australia and New Zealand.-Australia:In Australia the road toll is reported at a state level...
provisionally stands at 387, the lowest figure since 1963
1963 in New Zealand
-Population:* Estimated Population as of 31 December: 2,566,900* Increase since 31 December 1962: 51,100 * Males per 100 Females: 100.8-Regal and Vice Regal:*Head of State – Elizabeth II...
- See also Current events in Oceania
Music
- New Zealand Music AwardsNew Zealand Music AwardsThe New Zealand Music Awards show, is a major annual New Zealand music event where musical acts and singers are awarded each year. It has occurred every year since 1965 to outstanding New Zealand musicians and groups....
Winners- Album Of The Year: Bic RungaBic RungaBriolette Kah Bic Runga MNZM is a New Zealand pop recording artist whose first solo album, Drive, debuted at number one on the New Zealand RIANZ charts. She has since become one of the highest-selling New Zealand artists in recent history...
- Birds - Single Of The Year: Pluto – Long White Cross
- Best Group: Elemeno PElemeno PElemeno P is a New Zealand rock band. The band's first album, Love & Disrespect was released on 4 July 2003, and reached number one on the RIANZ albums chart. Their second album, Trouble in Paradise was released on 24 November 2005 and includes the singles 11:57, Burn, One Left Standing and You Are...
– Trouble In Paradise - Best Male Solo Artist: Dave DobbynDave DobbynDave Dobbyn, ONZM is an award-winning New Zealand musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. In his early career he was a member of the rock group Th' Dudes and was the main creative force in pop band DD Smash...
– Available Light - Best Female Solo Artist: Bic RungaBic RungaBriolette Kah Bic Runga MNZM is a New Zealand pop recording artist whose first solo album, Drive, debuted at number one on the New Zealand RIANZ charts. She has since become one of the highest-selling New Zealand artists in recent history...
- Birds - Breakthrough Artist Of The Year: BleedersBleedersThe Bleeders are a hardcore band from New Zealand.The group consists of Angelo Munro , Gareth Stack , Ian King , Hadleigh Donald and Matt Clark .-Biography:...
– As Sweet As Sin - Highest Selling Nz Album: Fat Freddy’s Drop – Based On A True Story
- Highest Selling Nz Single: Rosita VaiRosita VaiRosita Vai is a New Zealand R&B singer who rose to musical fame as the winner of the Second season of New Zealand Idol in 2005.Prior to her win, Rosita managed to stay out of the 'bottom three' contestants for the entire competition...
– All I Ask - Radio Airplay Record Of The Year: The FeelersThe FeelersThe Feelers are a New Zealand rock band formed in the early 1990s in Christchurch by James Reid , Matthew Thomas and Hamish Gee .-History:...
– Stand Up - Best Rock Album: BleedersBleedersThe Bleeders are a hardcore band from New Zealand.The group consists of Angelo Munro , Gareth Stack , Ian King , Hadleigh Donald and Matt Clark .-Biography:...
– As Sweet As Sin - Best Urban / Hip Hop Album: FrontlineFrontline (band)-History:The New Zealand hip hop group known as 'Frontline' is a two man hip hop team: Samoan-European MC David Dallas and producer and DJ Nick Maclaren DJ 41:30...
– Borrowed Time - Best Dance / Electronica Album: Concord DawnConcord DawnConcord Dawn, is a New Zealand drum and bass group, active since mid 1999. It consists of Matt Harvey and Evan Short...
– Chaos By Design - Best Aotearoa Roots Album: Fly My PrettiesFly My PrettiesFly My Pretties is a collaboration of musicians from Wellington, New Zealand that only records live albums, in various locations in New Zealand. The different musical backgrounds of the members make for an eclectic mix of songs on their releases...
– The Return Of Fly My Pretties - Best Music Video: Mark WilliamsMark Williams (singer)Mark Williams is a New Zealand-born pop/soul singer with Recording Industry Association of New Zealand number one hit singles, "Yesterday Was Just the Beginning of My Life" and a cover of Buddy Holly's "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" before he relocated to Australia later that year. His single,...
– Wandering Eye (Fat Freddy’S Drop) - Peoples Choice Award: Fat Freddy’s Drop
- Best Producer: Bic RungaBic RungaBriolette Kah Bic Runga MNZM is a New Zealand pop recording artist whose first solo album, Drive, debuted at number one on the New Zealand RIANZ charts. She has since become one of the highest-selling New Zealand artists in recent history...
- Birds - Best Engineer: Andre Upston – Birds (Bic RungaBic RungaBriolette Kah Bic Runga MNZM is a New Zealand pop recording artist whose first solo album, Drive, debuted at number one on the New Zealand RIANZ charts. She has since become one of the highest-selling New Zealand artists in recent history...
) - Best Album Cover: Chris KnoxChris KnoxChris Knox is a New Zealand rock and roll musician, cartoonist, and DVD reviewer who emerged during the punk rock era with his bands The Enemy and Toy Love. After Toy Love disbanded in the early 1980s, he formed the group Tall Dwarfs with guitarist Alec Bathgate, much loved for their honest,...
– As Sweet As Sin (BleedersBleedersThe Bleeders are a hardcore band from New Zealand.The group consists of Angelo Munro , Gareth Stack , Ian King , Hadleigh Donald and Matt Clark .-Biography:...
) - Best Classical Album: Tower Voices New Zealand – Spirit Of The Land
- Best Maori Album: Te Reotakiwa Dunn – Te Reotakiwa Dunn
- Best Gospel / Christian Album: JuliagraceJuliagraceJuliagrace is a Christian pop singer and songwriter. Julia was born and currently resides in Auckland, New Zealand. She was born and grew up in a Christian family, both of her parents are Christian. Her brother Paul Cato is a New Zealand artist.Vucich began to play the piano at age three and...
- Juliagrace - Best Country Music Album: Shane Warner - Absolutely
- Best Pacific Music Album: Mt Vaea Band - Mama
- Best Folk Album: Lorina Harding - Clean Break
- Outstanding Contribution To The Growth Of NZ Music On Radio: David Innes
- Best Jazz Album: The Vaughn Roberts Big Band – Grrreat Stufff!
- Album Of The Year: Bic Runga
Television
- 8 February: SKY Network TelevisionSKY Network TelevisionSky Network Television Limited , , is a New Zealand pay television service. On 30 June 2011, Sky had 829,421 subscribers, which comprises:*808,617 digital subscribers*20,840 other subscribers...
purchases PrimePrime Television New ZealandPrime is the seventh national free-to-air television station in New Zealand. The station airs a mixed group of programmes, largely imported from Australia, the UK and the United States, as well as free-to-air rugby union, cricket and rugby league matches....
. SKY broadcasts delayed sports events for the first time on Prime.
4 December: Susan Wood resigns as a presenter for Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
due to continuing health concerns.
Film
- No. 2
- Perfect CreaturePerfect CreaturePerfect Creature is a New Zealand made horror/thriller film written and directed by Glenn Standring and starring Saffron Burrows and Dougray Scott, set in an alternate universe New Zealand. The New Zealand release date was 18 October 2007...
- Sione's WeddingSione's WeddingSione's Wedding , is a 2006 comedic film directed by Chris Graham and written by James Griffin and Oscar Kightley, and produced by South Pacific Pictures.- Plot :...
- Out of the BlueOut of the Blue (2006 film)Out of the Blue is a 2006 New Zealand film directed by Robert Sarkies and starring Karl Urban. The film premiered at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival in Canada and was released in New Zealand on 12 October 2006 to minor controversy...
Internet
- March - the sale of New Zealand's busiest web site, Trade MeTradeMeTrade Me is the largest Internet-auction website operating in New Zealand. Managed by Trade Me Ltd the site was founded in 1999 by New Zealand entrepreneurSam Morgan who sold it to Fairfax in 2006 for NZ$700 million...
Ltd. to the Fairfax group for $NZ700 million is announced. - October - Vodafone New ZealandVodafone New ZealandVodafone New Zealand is a British owned telecommunications company, a subsidiary of Vodafone Plc operating in New Zealand. It is New Zealand's largest mobile phone operator, based in Auckland, New Zealand and was formed in 1998, after Vodafone purchased BellSouth's New Zealand operations...
purchases ISP ihugIHUGihug was New Zealand's third largest ISP , before it was bought, then absorbed by Vodafone New Zealand . According to 2005 estimates, it had over 100,000 internet and phone subscribers...
for NZ$41 million from iiNetIiNetiiNet Limited is Australia's second largest internet service provider with over 1.3 million customers as of 15th August 2011. Their focus is primarily on ADSL-based Internet access, using their own ADSL2+ infrastructure, and reselling Telstra ADSL1. iiNet also provides dial-up and voice...
.
Athletics
- Dale Warrender wins his second national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:17:43 on 29 October in AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, while Tracey Clissold claims her second as well in the women's championship (2:50:47).
Basketball
- Women’s National Basketball League was won by Auckland, who beat North Harbour 75-74 in the final.
- National Basketball LeagueNational Basketball League (New Zealand)The National Basketball League, often abbreviated to the NBL, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in New Zealand.There were 10 teams in the 2010 season with teams based in Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Nelson, New Plymouth, North Shore, Palmerston North,...
was won by the Hawkes Bay HawksHawkes Bay HawksThe Hawke's Bay Hawks are a professional basketball team represents the Hawkes Bay region in the New Zealand National Basketball League.They play their home fixtures at the Pettigrew Green Arena in Taradale, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand....
, who beat the Auckland StarsAuckland StarsThe Auckland Pirates are a New Zealand professional basketball team that represents the Auckland region in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the ASB Stadium in Kohimarama, Auckland, New Zealand....
84-69
Commonwealth Games
- The largest New Zealand team ever sent to a Commonwealth Games went to the 2006 Games at Melbourne, but did not do as well as expected, recording the worst result since 1982. See New Zealand at the 2006 Commonwealth GamesNew Zealand at the 2006 Commonwealth GamesNew Zealand at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia was represented by 249 athletescompeting in over 19 disciplines, with 119 officials...
.
Cricket
- The Black CapsNew Zealand cricket teamThe New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
defeat the West IndiesWest Indian cricket teamThe West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as the West Indies or the Windies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s,...
4-1 in a series of One-day InternationalsOne-day cricketLimited overs cricket, also known as one-day cricket and in a slightly different context as List A cricket, is a version of the sport of cricket in which a match is generally completed in one day, whereas Test and first-class matches can take up to five days to complete...
during February.
Harness racing
- New Zealand Trotting CupNew Zealand Trotting CupThe New Zealand Trotting Cup or New Zealand Cup is a Group One harness race held annually by the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club at Addington Raceway in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is considered the country's most prestigious harness racing event. the prize was NZ$750,000, the largest prize for a...
: Flashing Red - Auckland Trotting CupAuckland Trotting CupThe Auckland Trotting Cup or Auckland Cup is a race held at Alexandra Park in March in Auckland, New Zealand for Standardbred horses. It is one of two major harness races, along with the New Zealand Cup, held in New Zealand each year. It is notable as it is a Group 1 championship race over...
: Mi Muchacho
Mountain Biking
- August - UCI Mountain Bike World Cup is held in Rotorua http://www.2006rotoruamtb.com/english/
Olympic Games
- New Zealand sent 18 athletesNew Zealand at the 2006 Winter OlympicsNew Zealand competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.The nation sent its largest team ever to the games with 18 athletes, 7 more than in Salt Lake City in 2002...
to the 2006 Winter Olympics2006 Winter OlympicsThe 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in TurinTurinTurin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy, its largest team to a Winter Olympics. The most successful competitor was Ben SandfordBen SandfordBen Sandford is a New Zealand skeleton racer who has competed since 2002. He finished tenth in the men's skeleton event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin....
, who was tenth in the Men's SkeletonSkeleton at the 2006 Winter OlympicsThe skeleton competition at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games was held at Cesana Pariol in Cesana, Italy on February 16 and February 17 .-Medal table:-Events:...
Rugby union
- New Zealand(All Blacks) retained the Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cup. Only losing one match to South Africa.
- North Harbour wins the Ranfurly Shield from Canterbury 21-17 at Jade Stadium
- The All Blacks convincingly won all four tests in their end-of-season tour of England, France and Wales.
Soccer
- The Chatham Cup2006 Chatham CupThe 2006 Chatham Cup was the 79th annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.Up to the last 16 of the competition, the cup was run in three regions , with an open draw from the quarter-finals on. In all, 137 teams took part in the competition. Note: Different sources give...
is won by Western SuburbsWestern SuburbsWestern Suburbs is an association football club in Porirua, New Zealand. They play their home matches at Endeavour Park in the Porirua suburb of Whitby and compete in the Central Premier League....
(Wellington) who beat Eastern SuburbsEastern Suburbs AFCEastern Suburbs is a semi-professional association football club in Kohimarama, New Zealand. They compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1.-Club history:...
(Auckland) 0—0 in the final (3-0 on penalties).
Deaths
- 4 January: Robert Howard WhiteRobert Howard WhiteRobert "Bob" Howard White, QSO, CStJ, JP was a New Zealand politician.He served in the RNZAF and was Mayor of Papatoetoe from 1965 to 1986....
, politician. - 19 January: Geoff RaboneGeoff RaboneGeoffrey Osborne Rabone was a cricketer who captained New Zealand in five Test matches in 1953-54 and 1954-55....
, cricketer. - 1 February: Bryce HarlandBryce HarlandWilliam "Bryce" Harland QSO, , distinguished New Zealand diplomat and academic, who served as New Zealand's first Ambassador to China, Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, and High Commissioner to London....
, diplomat. - 2 March: Peter SnowPeter Snow (doctor)Dr Peter Snow was a general practitioner who served the New Zealand rural community of Tapanui for over 30 years. He was president of the Royal New Zealand College of GPs from 1998–99 and received their highest honour, Distinguished Fellowship, in 2001...
, doctor who discovered "Tapanui flu". - 8 March: Sir Brian Barratt-BoyesBrian Barratt-BoyesSir Brian Gerald Barratt-Boyes, KBE was a pioneering heart surgeon from New Zealand.Barratt-Boyes went to Victoria University before study medicine at Otago's Medical School, graduating in 1946. He continued his training as a surgeon, initially in New Zealand, and later at the Mayo Clinic and as...
, pioneering heart surgeon. - 23 April: Johnny CheckettsJohnny CheckettsWing Commander John "Johnny" Milne Checketts, DSO, DFC was a World War II Flying ace.-Birth and education:...
, WWII flying ace. - 30 May: David LloydDavid Lloyd (botanist)David Lloyd was an evolutionary biologist and the seventh New Zealander to be elected as a fellow of the Royal Society in London. He did pioneering work in the field of plant reproduction....
, botanist. - 11 June: Neroli FairhallNeroli FairhallNeroli Susan Fairhall MBE was a New Zealand athlete, who was the first paraplegic competitor in the Olympic Games....
, Olympic archer. - 7 July: John MoneyJohn MoneyJohn William Money was a psychologist, sexologist and author, specializing in research into sexual identity and biology of gender...
, psychologist and sexologist. - 15 August: Te Atairangi Kaahu, the Māori QueenMaori King MovementThe Māori King Movement or Kīngitanga is a movement that arose among some of the Māori tribes of New Zealand in the central North Island ,in the 1850s, to establish a role similar in status to that of the monarch of the colonising people, the British, as a way of halting the alienation of Māori land...
. - 30 August: Lord Cooke of ThorndonRobin Cooke, Baron Cooke of Thorndon-External links:*, The Times, 22 September 2006*, The Daily Telegraph, 26 September 2006* House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 9 October 2006*, 4 September 2006...
, jurist. - 19 September: Hugh KawharuHugh KawharuSir Ian "Hugh" Kawharu, ONZ, FRSNZ was a distinguished academic and paramount chief of the Ngāti Whātua Māori tribe.Born in Ashburton, New Zealand, he attended Auckland Grammar School...
, Māori academic and Ngāti WhātuaNgati WhatuaNgāti Whātua is a Māori iwi of New Zealand. It consists of four hapu : Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa, Te Taoū, and Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei....
leader. - 29 September: Walter HadleeWalter HadleeWalter Arnold Hadlee, CBE was a New Zealand cricketer and Test match captain. He played domestic first-class cricket for Canterbury and Otago. Three of his five sons, Sir Richard, Dayle and Barry played cricket for New Zealand...
, cricketer. - 8 October: Mark Porter, V8 SupercarV8 SupercarV8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations...
driver. - 6 December: John FeeneyJohn FeeneyJohn Feeney was a New Zealand-born director of documentary films. He worked with the New Zealand National Film Unit, National Film Board of Canada and made films and did photography in Egypt. He was nominated for two Academy Awards.-Early life:Feeney was born in Ngaruawahia and attended at...
, documentary film director.
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 2006 not specifically related to New Zealand see: 2006