1988 in New Zealand

← 1987 1986 1985 1988 in New Zealand → 1989 1990 1991
Decades:	1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
See also:	History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history

The following events occurred in New Zealand in the year 1988.

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,345,200. ^[1]
• Increase since 31 December 1987: 3,100 (0.09%). ^[1]
• Males per 100 females: 97.3. ^[1]

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – The Rt Revd. Sir Paul Reeves GCMG GCVO QSO ^[2]

Government

The 42nd New Zealand Parliament continued. The fourth Labour Party government was in power.

• Speaker of the House – Kerry Burke
• Prime Minister – David Lange
• Deputy Prime Minister – Geoffrey Palmer
• Minister of Finance – Roger Douglas until 14 December, then David Caygill
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Russell Marshall
• Chief Justice — Sir Ronald Davison

Parliamentary opposition

• Leader of the Opposition – Jim Bolger (National). ^[3]

Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – Catherine Tizard
• Mayor of Hamilton – Ross Jansen
• Mayor of Wellington – Jim Belich
• Mayor of Christchurch – Hamish Hay
• Mayor of Dunedin – Cliff Skeggs

Events

• The number of unemployed reaches 100,000.
• The Federation of Labour and Combined State Unions merge to form the Council of Trade Unions.
• New Zealand Post closed 432 post offices.
• Fisheries quota package announced for Mäori iwi.
• The Hokitika Guardian and Star ceases publication. ^[4]
• 6 February – Waitangi Day celebrations at Waitangi are suspended.
• 7 March – Cyclone Bola strikes the East Coast of the North Island
• 30 March – The State Sector Act is passed to reform the Public Service.
• April – The Royal Commission on Social Policy issues its report.
• 5 April – Gibbs Report ("Unshackling the Hospitals") released.
• May – Picot Report on educational administration released.
• June – The electrification of the North Island Main Trunk railway between Hamilton and Palmerston North is completed.
• 1 July – The Government announces the return of Bastion Point to its Ngāti Whātua owners.
• 1 July – Commercial TV goes 7 days a week, except Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day.
• 5 September – Telecom extends mobile phone service to Christchurch. ^[5]
• 17 October – Kmart opens its first store in Henderson, Auckland. ^[6]

Arts and literature

• John Dickson wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.

See 1988 in art, 1988 in literature, Category:1988 books

Music

New Zealand Music Awards

Winners are shown first with nominees underneath. ^[7]

• ALBUM OF THE YEAR Dave Dobbyn – Loyal
  • Shona Laing – South
  • The Warratahs – Only game in Town
• SINGLE OF THE YEAR Holidaymakers–Sweet Lovers
  • Dave Dobyyn – Love You Like I Should
  • Tex Pistol / Rikki Morris – Nobody Else
• BEST MALE VOCALIST Dave Dobbyn
  • Herbs
  • Barry Saunders
• BEST FEMALE VOCALIST Shona Laing
  • Aishah
  • Annie Crummer
• BEST GROUP Herbs
  • The Chills
  • The Warratahs
• MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST Peter Marshall
  • Rikki Morris
  • Thom Nepia
• MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST Mara Finau
  • Tracey Birnie
  • Helen Mulholland
• MOST PROMISING GROUP Holidaymakers
  • Straightjacket Fits
  • The Tunnellers
• INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT Neil Finn
  • The Chills
  • Shona Laing
• BEST VIDEO Fane Flaws – Sweet Lovers (Holidaymakers)
  • Janine Morell – Haere Mai
  • Paul Middleditch – Nobody Else
• BEST FILM SOUNDTRACK Dalvanius Prime / Dave Hurley – Poi E
  • Dalvanius / Ginane / Smith – Ngati
• BEST PRODUCER Nigel Stone–Holidaymakers (Holidaymakers)
  • Tex Pistol – Nobody Else
  • Stephen McCurdy/ Shona Laing/ Graeme Myhre – South
• BEST ENGINEER Nigel Stone–Holidaymakers (Holidaymakers)
  • Rhys Moody – Brazier'
  • Rhys Moody/ Doug Rogers – Sensation
• BEST JAZZ ALBUM Beaver – Live at Ronnie Scott's
  • Frank Gibsons Jazz Mobile – Spreading The Word
  • Sustenance – Sustenance 3
• BEST CLASSICAL ALBUM NZ Symphony Orchestra – Prodigal Country
  • NZ Symphony Orchestra – War and Peace/ Jack Winters Dream
• BEST FOLK ALBUM Mike Harding – From The Edge
  • Wayne Gillespie – Hearts For
  • David Hollis – With Love
• BEST COUNTRY ALBUM The Warratahs – Only Game in Town
  • Patsy Riggir – The Best OF (Plus Four)
  • Al Hunter – Jealous Guy
• BEST GOSPEL ALBUM Derek Lind – Strange Logic
  • Barry McGuire – Sailing Free
  • Stephen Bell Booth – Timeless
• BEST POLYNESIAN ALBUM Pātea Māori Club – Poi E
  • Kahurangi – Magically Maori
  • Dalvanius Prime/ Patea Maori/ Moana/ Dave Dobbyn Guinney ^[8] / Kara Pewhairangi – Ngoi Ngoi
• BEST SONGWRITER Rikki Morris – Nobody Else
  • Hona/ Lundon/ Cassells – Listen
  • Dave Dobbyn – Love You Like I Should
• BEST COVER Lesley Maclean – Pagan in a Pagan Land
  • John Collie – Bird Dog
  • Susan Pryor – You Don't Need Me

See: 1988 in music

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Alma Woods MBE and Ricky May.

Radio and television

• 1 December: The Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand is split into Radio New Zealand and Television New Zealand. The Avalon studio becomes a separate subsidiary of TVNZ. Archived 22 February 2006 at the Wayback Machine

See: 1988 in New Zealand television, 1988 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, Category:Television in New Zealand, TV3 (New Zealand), Category:New Zealand television shows, Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Programme debuts

• 25 July – Neighbours (Network 2)

Film

• Illustrious Energy
• Mauri
• Send a Gorilla
• The Grasscutter
• The Navigator: A Mediaeval Odyssey

See: Category:1988 film awards, 1988 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1988 films

Internet

See: NZ Internet History

Sport

Athletics

• Paul Ballinger wins his third national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:16:05 on 30 April in Rotorua, while Jillian Costley claims her second in the women's championship (2:39:20).

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Luxury Liner ^[9]
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Luxury Liner – 2nd win ^[10]

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics

Main article: New Zealand at the 1988 Summer Olympics

• New Zealand sends a team of 83 competitors in 16 sports.

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
3	2	8	13

Winter Olympics

Main article: New Zealand at the 1988 Winter Olympics

• New Zealand sends a team of nine competitors across three sports.

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
0	0	0	0

Paralympic Games

Summer Paralympics

Main article: New Zealand at the 1988 Summer Paralympics

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
2	4	11	17

Winter Paralympics

Main article: New Zealand at the 1988 Winter Paralympics

• New Zealand sends a team of three competitors in one sport.

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
0	1	0	1

Rugby

League

• 17 July – The 1988 Great Britain Lions tour concludes with New Zealand defeating Great Britain in a Test match at Addington Showground, Christchurch before a crowd of 8,525.
• 9 October – In the 1988 Rugby League World Cup final Australia defeats New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland before a crowd of 47,363.

Shooting

• Ballinger Belt – John Whiteman (Upper Hutt) ^[11]

Soccer

• The Chatham Cup is won by Waikato United who beat Christchurch United on the basis of away goals (2-2 and 1–1 in a two-leg final). ^[12]

Births

January

• 2 January – Joseph Paulo, rugby league player
• 3 January – Steven Kent, swimmer
• 4 January – Peter Saili, rugby union player
• 6 January – Esther Lanser, cricketer
• 11 January – Andre Taylor, rugby union player
• 12 January – Ben Afeaki, rugby union player
• 15 January – Riki Hoeata, rugby union player
• 17 January – Kade Poki, rugby union player
• 18 January – Andrew Wheeler, basketball player
• 20 January – Rushlee Buchanan, cyclist
• 23 January – Shaun Kenny-Dowall, rugby league player

February

• 1 February – Katie Duncan, association footballer
• 2 February – Kieron Fonotia, rugby union player
• 3 February – Daniel O'Regan, rugby league player
• 7 February – Mataupu Poching, rugby league player
• 8 February
  • Graham Oberlin-Brown, rower
• 13 February – Eddy Pettybourne, rugby league player
• 15 February
  • Sam Anderson-Heather, rugby union player
  • Claire Garrood, cricketer
• 16 February
  • James Baker, cricketer
  • Sarah Murphy, biathlete
• 20 February – Troy Garton, boxer
• 23 February – Ashley Cooper, singer
• 24 February
  • Levi Hanssen, association footballer
  • Emma Hayman, tennis player
• 25 February – Lagi Setu, rugby league and rugby union player

March

• 6 March
  • Marina Erakovic, tennis player
  • Frank Halai, rugby union player
• 8 March – Hannah Broederlow, netball player
• 9 March – Ash Moeke, rugby union player
• 10 March – Josh Hoffman, rugby league player
• 17 March – Patrick Ah Van, rugby league player
• 18 March – Grace Rasmussen, netball player
• 20 March – Sonny Fai, rugby league player
• 21 March – Anthony Cherrington, rugby league player
• 23 March – Suaia Matagi, rugby league player
• 24 March – Matt Todd, rugby union player
• 30 March – Petrea Webster, field hockey player
• 31 March – Curtis McGrath, canoeist

April

• 5 April – Quade Cooper, rugby union player
• 14 April
  • Francis Mossman, actor
  • Dan Pryor, rugby union player
• 16 April – Simon Child, field hockey player
• 18 April
  • Sam Belkin, amateur wrestler
  • Erin Bermingham, cricketer
• 21 April – Niall Williams, rugby union and touch player
• 24 April – Junior Tia-Kilifi, rugby league player
• 25 April – Liam Foran, rugby league player

May

• 3 May – Brent Renouf, Australian rules footballer
• 4 May – Westley Gough, cyclist
• 5 May
  • Jaimee Lovett, canoeist
  • Ant Pedersen, motor racing driver
• 6 May
  • Evie, professional wrestler
  • Rhys Phillips, cricketer
• 11 May – Stephen Paea, American football player
• 13 May – Trent Renata, rugby union player
• 16 May
  • Marty Kain, cricketer
  • Daniel Quigley, rowing coxswain
• 17 May – Scott Curry, rugby union player
• 20 May – Nikki Hamblin, athlete
• 29 May – Tom Furniss, comedian
• 30 May – Antonio Winterstein, rugby league player

June

• 1 June – Natalie Rooney, sports shooter
• 6 June – Israel Dagg, rugby union player
• 8 June – Charlotte Kight, netball player
• 19 June – Grayson Hart, rugby union player
• 23 June – Nick McLennan, rugby union player
• 24 June – Ryan Sissons, triathlete
• 25 June – Eliana Rubashkyn, transgender refugee
• 28 June – Alana Millington, field hockey player

July

• 1 July – Kendra Cocksedge, cricketer and rugby union player
• 3 July
  • Cole Peverley, association footballer
  • Winston Reid, association footballer
• 6 July
  • Andrew de Boorder, cricketer
  • Jesse Sergent, cyclist
• 7 July – Katie Perkins, cricketer
• 8 July – Mike Harris, rugby union player
• 10 July – Sarah Walker, BMX rider
• 11 July – Paula Griffin, netball player
• 13 July – Robbie Fruean, rugby union player
• 16 July – Lyndon Sheehan, freestyle skier
• 18 July – Andrew Horrell, rugby union player
• 20 July – B. J. Anthony, basketball player
• 21 July – Julian Matthews, athlete
• 26 July
  • Derek Carpenter, rugby union player
  • Tetera Faulkner, rugby union player
• 27 July – John Hardie, rugby union player
• 31 July
  • Alex Glenn, rugby league player
  • Brackin Karauria-Henry, rugby union player

August

• 1 August
  • Tim Perry, rugby union player
  • Bodene Thompson, rugby league player
• 6 August – Kayla McAlister, netball and rugby union player
• 8 August – Brad Cachopa, cricketer
• 12 August – Suliasi Taufalele, rugby union player
• 14 August – Dave Thomas, rugby union player
• 15 August – Nasi Manu, rugby union player
• 18 August – Michael Boxall, association footballer
• 22 August – Sarah Major, actor
• 24 August
  • Cathryn Finlayson, field hockey player
  • Manu Maʻu, rugby league player
• 28 August – Kane Hames, rugby union player
• 29 August
  • Fritz Lee, rugby union player
  • Lewis Marshall, rugby union player

September

• 1 September – Ash Dixon, rugby union player
• 4 September – David Eade, rower
• 5 September – Jackson Willison, rugby union player
• 7 September – Tevita Koloamatangi, rugby union player
• 14 September
  • Callum Gibbins, rugby union player
  • Sean Maitland, rugby union player
• 16 September – Nathaniel Neale, rugby league player
• 17 September – Michael Fitzgerald, association footballer
• 18 September – Joe Moody, rugby union player
• 19 September – Rebecca Spence, triathlete
• 22 September – Jeet Raval, cricketer
• 23 September
  • Hayley Crofts, netball player
  • Ryan Crotty, rugby union player
• 25 September
  • Quentin MacDonald, rugby union player
  • Josh Rowland, rugby union player
• 30 September – Joelle King, squash player

October

• 3 October – Helen Collins, association footballer
• 4 October – Mitchey Greig, freestyle skier
• 5 October – Luke Braid, rugby union player
• 7 October
  • Kurt Baker, rugby union player
  • Michael Leitch, rugby union player
• 10 October – Rose McIver, actor
• 12 October – Sam Whitelock, rugby union player
• 14 October – Terefe Ejigu, athlete
• 16 October
  • Fiona Bourke, rower
  • Karl Filiga, rugby league player
• 18 October – Luuka Jones, slalom canoeist
• 19 October – Naturalism, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 27 October – Rodney Ah You, rugby union player
• 29 October
  • Roman Van Uden, cyclist
  • Kayne Vincent, association footballer

November

• 1 November
  • Nick Barrett, rugby union player
  • Hamish Carson, athlete
• 4 November – Paea Faʻanunu, rugby union player
• 8 November – Shaun Teasdale, archer
• 10 November
  • Lord Gyllene, Thoroughbred racehorse
  • Jeremy Su'a, rugby union player
• 14 November – Mitchell Crosswell, rugby union player
• 18 November – Lucy Oliver, athlete
• 20 November – Vicky Rodewyk, actor, model and dancer
• 21 November – Aaron Smith, rugby union player
• 22 November – Tu'u Maori, rugby league player
• 23 November – Tony Goodin, cricketer
• 25 November – Mat Luamanu, rugby union player
• 28 November
  • Daniel Kirkpatrick, rugby union player
  • Nic Mayhew, rugby union player
  • Christy Prior, snowboarder
• 29 November – Corey Webster, basketball player
• 30 November – Edward Purcell, rugby league player

December

• 1 December – Taione Vea, rugby union player
• 7 December – James Marshall, rugby union player
• 8 December – Simon van Velthooven, cyclist
• 11 December – Tim Southee, cricketer
• 12 December – Isaac John, rugby league player
• 13 December – James Tamou, rugby league player
• 16 December – Robin Cheong, taekwando competitor
• 17 December – Steve Rapira, rugby league player

Exact date unknown

• Eli Kent, playwright and actor
• Sam McCarthy, songwriter and musician

Deaths

January–February

• 2 January – Bill Crawford-Compton, World War II air ace, air force commander (born 1915)
• 10 January – Ron King, rugby union player and selector (born 1909)
• 11 January – Arthur Collins, rugby union player (born 1906)
• 9 February – Zelma Roberts, writer (born 1915)
• 17 February – Reginald Uren, architect (born 1906)
• 23 February – Charlie Jackman, cricketer (born 1906)
• 29 February – Sister Mary Gabriel, nun, pharmacist (born 1904)

March–April

• 16 March – Harold Turbott, medical practitioner, public health administrator, broadcaster and writer (born 1899)
• 23 March – Cyril Walter, cricketer, field hockey player and coach, sports writer (born 1912)
• 30 March – Sir Donald McKay, politician (born 1908)
• 7 April – Christopher Rollinson, boxer (born 1928)
• 16 April – Doug Mudgway, amateur wrestler (born 1924)
• 17 April – Ormond Wilson, politician (born 1907)

May–June

• 9 May – Robert Alexander, cricketer (born 1911)
• 14 May – Fred Atkins, professional wrestler (born 1910)
• 22 May – Leslie Stephen-Smith, cricketer (born 1904)
• 24 May – Tom Burtt, cricketer (born 1915)
• 26 May – Neta Neale, theatre director, speech and drama teacher (born 1904)
• 27 May – Alwyn Warren, Anglican bishop, university chancellor (born 1900)
• 28 May – Evelyn Page, artist (born 1899)
• 1 June – Ricky May, musician (born 1943)
• 3 June – Christabel Robinson, vocational guidance and community worker (born 1898)
• 4 June – Elizabeth Turnbull, woollen mill worker (born 1885)
• 5 June – Brian Ashby, Roman Catholic bishop (born 1923)
• 17 June – Cyril Crawford, cricketer (born 1902)
• 24 June
  • Alexander Astor, rabbi, community leader (born 1900)
  • Anthony Rohrs, cricketer (born 1961)
• 25 June – Neville Pickering, politician, mayor of Christchurch (1971–74) (born 1923)
• 30 June – Hubert Ryburn, university administrator (born 1897)

July–August

• 8 July – Enga Washbourn, artist and writer (born 1908)
• 12 July – Robert Monteith, cricket umpire (born 1937)
• 18 July – Ralph Bulmer, ethnobiologist (born 1928)
• 21 July – Dame Cecily Pickerill, plastic surgeon (born 1903)
• 24 July – May Smith, painter, engraver, textile designer (born 1906)
• 1 August – G. S. Carter, surveyor and road engineer (born 1910)
• 4 August – Brian Brake, photographer (born 1927)
• 5 August – Nora Sipos, humanitarian and welfare worker (born 1900)
• 28 August – Paul Whitelaw, cricketer (born 1910)
• 30 August – Sir Jack Marshall, politician, 28th Prime Minister of New Zealand (born 1912)
• 31 August – Ivan Tomašević, political activist (born 1897)

September–October

• 4 September – Rona Stevenson, politician (born 1911)
• 6 September – Mary Martin, netball player (born 1915)
• 11 September – Bernard Holman, artist (born 1941)
• 13 September – Ron Rangi, rugby union player (born 1941)
• 17 September – Jim Watt, rugby union player, paediatrics academic (born 1914)
• 9 October – Bob Goslin, boxer (born 1927)
• 31 October – Gwen Somerset, teacher, adult education director, educationalist, writer (born 1894)

November–December

• 1 November – Louis Johnson, poet (born 1924)
• 4 November – Saul Goldsmith, political candidate (born 1911)
• 7 November
  • Aubrey Begg, politician (born 1929)
  • Sir Douglas Carter, politician (born 1908)
• 12 November – Pat Perrin, potter (born 1921)
• 28 November – Robert Stewart, sailor (born 1906)
• 29 November – Thomas Lemin, cricketer (born 1905)
• 5 December – Monica McKenzie, dietitian (born 1905)
• 8 December
  • Airini Grennell, singer, pianist, broadcaster (born 1910)
  • Sir Andrew McKee, air force leader (born 1902)
• 10 December – Beau Cottrell, rugby union player, Rotarian (born 1907)
• 16 December – John Cameron, cricketer (born 1898)
• 21 December
  • Bruce Ferguson, army officer (born 1917)
  • Charlie Peek, child welfare administrator, billiards player (born 1904)
• 27 December – William Fea, rugby union and squash player (born 1898)

See also

• List of years in New Zealand
• Timeline of New Zealand history
• History of New Zealand
• Military history of New Zealand
• Timeline of the New Zealand environment
• Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica

References

1. "Historical population estimates tables". Statistics New Zealand. Archived from the original on 31 December 2017.
2. Statistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52
3. "Elections NZ – Leaders of the Opposition". Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
4. "West Coast Times". National Library of New Zealand.
5. "Mobile phone in use". The Press . 5 September 1988. p. 6.
6. "Kmart celebrates 20 years in New Zealand". Scoop . 14 October 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
7. "Awards 1988". Listing. NZ Music Awards. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
8. "About Us". Poi E. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
9. "List of NZ Trotting cup winners". Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
10. Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz Archived 17 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
11. "New Zealand champion shot / Ballinger Belt winners". National Rifle Association of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 25 January 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
12. Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com Archived 14 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine

External links

Media related to 1988 in New Zealand at Wikimedia Commons